Garwood, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Garwood: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Garwood 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 |
Union County sits below New Jersey on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for Garwood: I-95 18 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Garwood.
Overview
Union County has recorded 5,456 truck crashes since 2015, with 2,850 people injured and 55 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 10 truck crashes reported in Garwood since 2015, this page uses Union County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.3% of the year) and are lowest in January (7.5%).
November through March accounts for 41.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in New Jersey.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (8.2%).
Road surface: 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Jersey: 3.3%).
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads within 10 miles of Garwood with 18 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-78 (12), US-1 (8) and SR-440 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
169 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.1% share (New Jersey: 3.6%).
Their busiest month is September, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.3, vs 1.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Garwood fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-95, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 | 18 |
| I-78 | 12 |
| US-1 | 8 |
| SR-440 | 5 |
| SR-27 | 4 |
| SR-124 | 2 |
| SR-21 | 2 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| US-22 | 2 |
| 444 Gsp | 1 |
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 |
Garwood at a glance
| Population | 5,346 |
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Density | 8,225 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 07027) | $110,670 |
| Median home value (ZIP 07027) | $528,522 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 227 to 470. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Garwood
How many truck crashes happen in Garwood?
5,456 truck crashes have been reported in Union County since 2015, with 55 deaths and 2,850 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Garwood?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Garwood: 18.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Garwood?
October has the most truck crashes in Union County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Garwood?
169 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Union County since 2015, 3.1% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Garwood compared with New Jersey?
The yearly rate is 78.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Union County, vs 56.6 for New Jersey.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Garwood?
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.