Salem, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Salem: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Salem and Salem County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Salem County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10 of 769 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Salem County compares with New Jersey
Salem County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Salem County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Salem County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 101.2 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 2.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.62 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 66% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.1% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 38% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.6% | 26.0% | 23.7% | 21% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.2% | 13.7% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.3% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.7% | 19.9% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Salem County sits below New Jersey on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
The headline for Salem County: 4.2 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 1.6 across New Jersey.
Overview
Police reported 769 crashes involving commercial trucks in Salem County since 2015: 470 people were injured and 33 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
With 14 truck crashes reported in Salem since 2015, this page uses Salem County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.7% of the year) and are lowest in January (6.6%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.3% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for New Jersey.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (7.9%).
Road surface: 2.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Jersey: 3.3%).
Where crashes happen
I-295 leads within 10 miles of Salem with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come US-13 (4), SR-1 (3) and 700 New Jersey Turnpike (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 10 crashes, 1.3% of the total, against 3.6% across New Jersey.
Route planning tips for Salem fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-295 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Salem County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-295 | 5 |
| US-13 | 4 |
| SR-1 | 3 |
| 700 New Jersey Turnpike | 2 |
| I-95 | 2 |
| US-40 | 2 |
| CR-540 | 1 |
| CR-603 Alloway-Woodstown Rd | 1 |
| SR-49 | 1 |
| SR-9 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Salem County) |
|---|---|
| I-295 | 125 |
| US-40 | 123 |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 110 |
| Nj 77 | 52 |
| I-295 Secondary | 35 |
| Nj 49 | 27 |
| Us 40 (Harding Highway) | 17 |
| SR-540 | 16 |
Salem at a glance
| Population | 5,369 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 2,291 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 08079) | $54,641 |
| Median home value (ZIP 08079) | $196,457 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Salem 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 | 28 | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 67 | +135% | 2.8 |
| 2010s | 61 | -9% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 65 | +7% | 3.8 |
In the 1990s about 28 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 65. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Salem
How many truck accidents are there in Salem?
769 truck crashes have been reported in Salem County since 2015, with 33 deaths and 470 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Salem?
I-295 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Salem since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Salem?
Truck crashes in Salem County peak in October, with 10.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Salem?
10 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Salem County since 2015, 1.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Salem compare with New Jersey?
Salem County records 101.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.6 across New Jersey.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Salem?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.