Chatham, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chatham: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chatham and Morris County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Morris County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Morris County compares with New Jersey
Morris County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Morris County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Morris County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 67.5 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.55 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 14% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.2% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.4% | 26.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.5% | 13.7% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.4% | 19.9% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with New Jersey, Morris County is lower on garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Morris County at a glance: 5.2% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (New Jersey: 3.3%).
Overview
Since 2015, 4,205 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Morris County. They injured 2,279 people and killed 62.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Chatham had 122 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Morris County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 9.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.1%.
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in New Jersey.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 5.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Jersey: 3.3%).
Where crashes happen
I-78 leads within 10 miles of Chatham with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-280 (4), I-80 (4) and SR-124 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 128 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 3.6% in New Jersey.
Their busiest month is October, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.4 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Chatham fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-78, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Morris County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 5.2% of truck crashes here, more than New Jersey; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Morris County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-78 | 9 |
| I-280 | 4 |
| I-80 | 4 |
| SR-124 | 3 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| US-22 | 2 |
| 444 Gsp | 1 |
| CR-506 Bloomfield Ave | 1 |
| CR-510 S Orange Ave | 1 |
| CR-527 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Morris County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 965 |
| I-287 | 731 |
| US-46 | 166 |
| Nj 10 | 128 |
| Nj 24 | 125 |
| I-80 Secondary | 121 |
| Nj 15 | 117 |
| US-206 | 111 |
Chatham at a glance
| Population | 10,062 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 4,294 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 07928) | $220,982 |
| Median home value (ZIP 07928) | $1,034,178 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Morris 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 | 181 | — | 4.2 |
| 2000s | 425 | +135% | 3.4 |
| 2010s | 372 | -12% | 3.5 |
| 2020s | 318 | -14% | 2.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 181 to 318. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chatham
How common are truck crashes in Chatham?
Since 2015, 4,205 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Morris County (2,279 injured, 62 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Chatham?
NHTSA data shows I-78 with 9 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chatham since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Chatham?
Truck crashes in Morris County peak in August, with 9.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Chatham?
128 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Morris County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Chatham compared with New Jersey?
The yearly rate is 67.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Morris County, vs 56.6 for New Jersey.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Chatham?
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.