Summit, NJ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Summit: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Summit 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.
Summit at a glance: 1.7× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Summit (4.8 → 8.0).
Overview
Police reported 5,456 crashes involving commercial trucks in Union County since 2015: 2,850 people were injured and 55 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Only 189 truck crashes were reported in Summit since 2015; patterns below come from Union County as a whole.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (7.5%).
November through March accounts for 41.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in New Jersey.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 8.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.5% of truck crashes, compared with 3.3% in New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-78 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (10). After it: US-1 (7), I-280 (5) and SR-124 (3).
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.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.3 deaths compared with 1.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Summit fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-78 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.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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-78 | 10 |
| US-1 | 7 |
| I-280 | 5 |
| SR-124 | 3 |
| SR-27 | 3 |
| I-95 | 2 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| US-22 | 2 |
| 444 Gsp | 1 |
| CR-506 Bloomfield Ave | 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 |
Summit at a glance
| Population | 23,102 |
| Land area | 6.0 sq mi |
| Density | 3,854 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 07901) | $179,701 |
| Median home value (ZIP 07901) | $988,147 |
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 Summit
How common are truck crashes in Summit?
5,456 truck crashes have been reported in Union County since 2015, with 55 deaths and 2,850 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Summit?
Since 2015, I-78 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Summit: 10.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Summit?
Truck crashes in Union County peak in October, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Summit?
Since 2015, Union County has reported 169 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.1% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Summit compared with New Jersey?
Per 100,000 residents, Union County has 78.1 truck crashes a year; New Jersey has 56.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Summit?
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.