Elmira, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elmira: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elmira and Chemung County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chemung County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10 of 301 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chemung County compares with New York State
Chemung 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 Chemung County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Chemung County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 43.1 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 40% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 10% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.9% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.4% | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.2% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 51.1% | 41.8% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 24.6% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Chemung County has lower values than New York for injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above New York on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Chemung County: 17.9% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 9.4% across New York.
Overview
Chemung County has recorded 301 truck crashes since 2015, with 131 people injured and 9 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 10 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Elmira since 2015; patterns below come from Chemung County as a whole.
98% of truck crash reports in Chemung County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 13.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is October at 5.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 51.1% of truck crashes, against 41.8% across New York.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 10.3% of truck crashes.
17.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.4% across New York.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-86 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by SR-14 (1), SR-352 (1) and Watkins Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 10 crashes, 3.3% of the total, against 3.6% across New York.
Route planning tips for Elmira fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-86; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 17.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New York; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2023, 2024 and 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Chemung County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-86 | 3 |
| SR-14 | 1 |
| SR-352 | 1 |
| Watkins Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chemung County) |
|---|---|
| Southern Tier Expy | 2 |
| Nys Route 352 | 1 |
Elmira at a glance
| Population | 26,255 |
| Land area | 7.3 sq mi |
| Density | 3,620 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chemung 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 | 12 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 24 | +97% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 35 | +44% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 31 | -9% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 31. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elmira
How many truck accidents are there in Elmira?
Chemung County has had 301 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 131 people and killing 9.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Elmira?
Since 2015, I-86 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elmira: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Elmira?
The worst month is December: 13.6% of truck crashes in Chemung County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Elmira?
Since 2015, Chemung County has reported 10 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Elmira compare with New York for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Chemung County has 43.1 truck crashes a year; New York has 28.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Elmira?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
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.