Highland Park, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Highland Park: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Highland Park and Middlesex County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Middlesex County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Middlesex County compares with New Jersey
Middlesex County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Middlesex County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Middlesex County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 86.6 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 25% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.8% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 16% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.8% | 26.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.4% | 13.7% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.2% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.3% | 19.9% | 24.8% | same |
Middlesex County has lower values than New Jersey for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Highland Park: I-95 deadliest road: 11 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Highland Park since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 9,132 crashes involving commercial trucks in Middlesex County since 2015: 5,085 people were injured and 119 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
With 23 truck crashes reported in Highland Park since 2015, this page uses Middlesex County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.2% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across New Jersey.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
2.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.3% across New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads within 10 miles of Highland Park with 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-9 (8), US-1 (6) and I-287 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 210 crashes, 2.3% of the total, against 3.6% across New Jersey.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (10% of them).
They recorded 2.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Highland Park fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-95, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Middlesex County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Middlesex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 11 |
| US-9 | 8 |
| US-1 | 6 |
| I-287 | 4 |
| US-130 | 4 |
| SR-28 | 3 |
| SR-440 | 3 |
| SR-35 | 2 |
| 444 Gsp | 1 |
| Bordentown Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Middlesex County) |
|---|---|
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike | 1,496 |
| US-1 | 852 |
| US-9 | 578 |
| I-287 | 477 |
| Nj 18 | 355 |
| I-95 | 313 |
| I-95 Secondary | 305 |
| US-130 | 251 |
Highland Park at a glance
| Population | 15,386 |
| Land area | 1.8 sq mi |
| Density | 8,449 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 08904) | $104,694 |
| Median home value (ZIP 08904) | $465,896 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Middlesex County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 253 | — | 8.5 |
| 2000s | 895 | +254% | 7.1 |
| 2010s | 747 | -17% | 6.6 |
| 2020s | 745 | -0% | 7.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 253 to 745. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 6.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 7.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Highland Park
How many truck accidents are there in Highland Park?
9,132 truck crashes have been reported in Middlesex County since 2015, with 119 deaths and 5,085 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Highland Park?
NHTSA data shows I-95 with 11 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Highland Park since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Highland Park?
The worst month is October: 10.1% of truck crashes in Middlesex County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Highland Park?
Garbage trucks were involved in 210 reported crashes in Middlesex County since 2015 (2.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Highland Park compared with New Jersey?
Per 100,000 residents, Middlesex County has 86.6 truck crashes a year; New Jersey has 56.6.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Highland Park?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.