Ocean County, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ocean County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Ocean County compares with New Jersey
Ocean County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ocean County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ocean County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 27.2 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 52% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.67 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.1% | 26.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.6% | 13.7% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.4% | 40.9% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 13.0% | 19.9% | 24.8% | 35% below the state |
Ocean County has lower values than New Jersey for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar). It runs above New Jersey on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Ocean County: 1 in 15 crashes involve a garbage truck (140 since 2015), vs 3.6% across New Jersey.
Overview
Ocean County has recorded 2,142 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,416 people injured and 52 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in February (6.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.4% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across New Jersey.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Jersey: 3.3%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Ocean County since 2015: CR-539 (4), SR-70 (4), SR-72 (4), 444-Garden State Parkway (2) and CR-539 Pinehurst Rd (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 140 of the truck crashes here, or 6.5%, compared with 3.6% in New Jersey.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (11%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.8, vs 2.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Ocean County fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Ocean County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Ocean County) |
|---|---|
| CR-539 | 4 |
| SR-70 | 4 |
| SR-72 | 4 |
| 444-Garden State Parkway | 2 |
| CR-539 Pinehurst Rd | 2 |
| Gsp-444 | 2 |
| SR-37 | 2 |
| US-9 | 2 |
| 7th Street | 1 |
| CR-526 W Commodore Blvd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ocean County) |
|---|---|
| US-9 | 233 |
| Garden State Parkway | 188 |
| Nj 70 | 131 |
| SR-528 | 79 |
| Nj 72 | 65 |
| Nj 37 | 64 |
| SR-571 | 63 |
| SR-539 | 60 |
Ocean County at a glance
| Population | 666,434 |
| Land area | 628.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,061 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $91,599 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ocean 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 | 46 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 223 | +386% | 3.6 |
| 2010s | 184 | -17% | 3.2 |
| 2020s | 180 | -2% | 3.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 46 to 180. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.5 a year in 2016–19, 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Ocean County
ZIP codes in Ocean County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Ocean County
How many truck accidents are there in Ocean County?
Ocean County has had 2,142 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,416 people and killing 52.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ocean County?
July has the most truck crashes in Ocean County, 10.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ocean County?
Since 2015, Ocean County has reported 140 garbage-truck crashes, or 6.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Ocean County compare with New Jersey?
Ocean County records 27.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.6 across New Jersey.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Ocean County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.