Cranford, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cranford: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cranford and Union County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Union County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Union County compares with New Jersey
Union County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Union County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Union County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 78.1 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.1 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 31% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 10% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 13% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 23% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.7% | 26.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.9% | 13.7% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.7% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.9% | 19.9% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with New Jersey, Union County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for Cranford: I-95 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Cranford: 19 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 5,456 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Union County. They injured 2,850 people and killed 55.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 74 truck crashes reported in Cranford since 2015, this page uses Union County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (7.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.7% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for New Jersey.
By time of day, 9–10 am stands out with 8.2% of truck crashes.
2.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.3% across New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads within 10 miles of Cranford with 19 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-78 (11), US-1 (8) and SR-440 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 169 of the truck crashes here, or 3.1%, compared with 3.6% in New Jersey.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (11% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.3, vs 1.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Cranford fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Union County.
- Look at alternatives to I-95 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Union County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Union County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 19 |
| I-78 | 11 |
| US-1 | 8 |
| SR-440 | 5 |
| SR-27 | 4 |
| I-280 | 2 |
| SR-124 | 2 |
| SR-21 | 2 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| US-22 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Union County) |
|---|---|
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike | 1,041 |
| US-1 | 473 |
| I-78 | 426 |
| I-95 | 249 |
| US-22 | 228 |
| Division St | 135 |
| I-95 Secondary | 126 |
| Nj 27 | 92 |
Cranford at a glance
| Population | 24,513 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 72,739 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 07016) | $155,972 |
| Median home value (ZIP 07016) | $659,255 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Union 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 | 227 | — | 4.8 |
| 2000s | 530 | +134% | 4.8 |
| 2010s | 424 | -20% | 3.3 |
| 2020s | 470 | +11% | 4.0 |
In the 1990s about 227 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 470. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.8 a year in 2016–19 and 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cranford
How many truck accidents are there in Cranford?
Union County has had 5,456 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,850 people and killing 55.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Cranford?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cranford: 19.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Cranford?
The worst month is October: 9.3% of truck crashes in Union County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cranford?
Garbage trucks were involved in 169 reported crashes in Union County since 2015 (3.1% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Cranford compared with New Jersey?
Union County records 78.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 56.6 across New Jersey.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cranford?
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.