Island Heights, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Island Heights: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Island Heights 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 sits below New Jersey on 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 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 6.5%, vs 3.6% in New Jersey.
Overview
Police reported 2,142 crashes involving commercial trucks in Ocean County since 2015: 1,416 people were injured and 52 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Island Heights since 2015; patterns below come from Ocean County as a whole.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.5% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (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.
1.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.3% across New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Island Heights since 2015: 444-Garden State Parkway (2), Gsp-444 (2), SR-37 (2), SR-70 (2) and CR-527 Lakehurst Rd (1). 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%).
They recorded 3.8 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Island Heights fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Ocean County.
- 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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 444-Garden State Parkway | 2 |
| Gsp-444 | 2 |
| SR-37 | 2 |
| SR-70 | 2 |
| CR-527 Lakehurst Rd | 1 |
| CR-549 Brick Blvd | 1 |
| CR-571 | 1 |
| CR-571 Ridgeway Rd | 1 |
| US-9 | 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 |
Island Heights at a glance
| Population | 1,715 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,816 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 08732) | $110,000 |
| Median home value (ZIP 08732) | $570,965 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Island Heights
How many truck crashes happen in Island Heights?
2,142 truck crashes have been reported in Ocean County since 2015, with 52 deaths and 1,416 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Island Heights?
Truck crashes in Ocean County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Island Heights?
140 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Ocean County since 2015, 6.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Island Heights compare with New Jersey?
Per 100,000 residents, Ocean County has 27.2 truck crashes a year; New Jersey has 56.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Island Heights?
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.