Dunkirk, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dunkirk: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dunkirk and Chautauqua County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chautauqua County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 771 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chautauqua County compares with New York State
Chautauqua County against New York State and the US, 2015–2022 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chautauqua County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Chautauqua County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.5 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 2.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 29% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 51% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.7% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 2.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.7% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 22% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 32.4% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.8% | 41.8% | 41.9% | 1.3× the state |
| After dark | 25.1% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Chautauqua County sits below New York on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Chautauqua County: 27.7% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 9.4% across New York.
Overview
Chautauqua County has recorded 771 truck crashes since 2015, with 384 people injured and 21 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
With 6 truck crashes reported in Dunkirk since 2015, this page uses Chautauqua County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
95% of truck crash reports in Chautauqua County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (15.3% of the year) and are lowest in May (5.2%).
November through March accounts for 52.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.8% in New York.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 9.5% of truck crashes.
27.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.4% across New York.
Where crashes happen
SR-60 leads within 10 miles of Dunkirk with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-90 (2) and CR-91 Center Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.7% share (New York: 3.6%).
Route planning tips for Dunkirk fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-60, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 27.7% of truck crashes here, more than New York; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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.
Crash reporting for 2023, 2024 and 2025 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Chautauqua County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-60 | 4 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| CR-91 Center Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chautauqua County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 8 |
| I-86 | 2 |
| Millard Fillmore Dr. | 1 |
| SR-60 | 1 |
| Werle Rd. | 1 |
Dunkirk at a glance
| Population | 12,379 |
| Land area | 4.5 sq mi |
| Density | 2,724 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 14048) | $56,431 |
| Median home value (ZIP 14048) | $102,099 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chautauqua 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 | 47 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 64 | +34% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 81 | +28% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 75 | -7% | 2.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 47 to 75. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dunkirk
How many truck crashes happen in Dunkirk?
Chautauqua County has had 771 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 384 people and killing 21.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Dunkirk?
SR-60 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Dunkirk since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dunkirk?
The worst month is January: 15.3% of truck crashes in Chautauqua County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Dunkirk?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Chautauqua County since 2015 (1.7% of truck crashes).
How does Dunkirk compare with New York for truck crashes?
Chautauqua County records 68.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Dunkirk?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2023, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.