Bay Head, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bay Head: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bay Head and Ocean County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ocean County numbers.
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). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Ocean County: 1 in 15 crashes involve a garbage truck (140 since 2015), vs 3.6% across New Jersey.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,142 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ocean County. They injured 1,416 people and killed 52.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
Only 7 truck crashes were reported in Bay Head since 2015; patterns below come from Ocean County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 10.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.4% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across New Jersey.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 3.3% in New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-70 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by Gsp-444 Garden State Parkway (2), US-9 (2) and 444-Garden State Parkway (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
140 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.5% share (New Jersey: 3.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (11% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.8 deaths compared with 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Bay Head fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use SR-70, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Ocean County.
- 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 Ocean County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-70 | 3 |
| Gsp-444 Garden State Parkway | 2 |
| US-9 | 2 |
| 444-Garden State Parkway | 1 |
| 7th Street | 1 |
| CR-18I | 1 |
| CR-549 Brick Blvd | 1 |
| CR-549 Herbertsville Rd | 1 |
| Gsp-444(Garden State Parkway) | 1 |
| SR-33 | 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 |
Bay Head at a glance
| Population | 964 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,648 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 08742) | $123,152 |
| Median home value (ZIP 08742) | $622,099 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 46 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 180. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 3.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bay Head
How common are truck crashes in Bay Head?
Since 2015, 2,142 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Ocean County (1,416 injured, 52 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Bay Head?
NHTSA data shows SR-70 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Bay Head since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Bay Head?
Truck crashes in Ocean County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Bay Head?
Since 2015, Ocean County has reported 140 garbage-truck crashes, or 6.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Bay Head compare with New Jersey?
Ocean County records 27.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.6 across New Jersey.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Bay Head?
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.