Cortland, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cortland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cortland and Cortland County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cortland County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 451 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cortland County compares with New York State
Cortland County against New York State and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cortland County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cortland County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 103.5 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 3.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 40% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 55% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 47% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 35.5% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 3.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.3% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 42.3% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 2.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 56.8% | 41.8% | 41.9% | 1.4× the state |
| After dark | 32.5% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Cortland County has lower values than New York for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above New York on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Cortland County: 35.5% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (New York: 9.4%).
Overview
Cortland County has recorded 451 truck crashes since 2015, with 154 people injured and 6 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Cortland since 2015, this page uses Cortland County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
96% of truck crash reports in Cortland County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 16.0% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (3.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 56.8% of truck crashes, against 41.8% across New York.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 35.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.4% in New York.
Where crashes happen
I-81 leads within 10 miles of Cortland with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-281 (1) and SR-90 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 1.8%, compared with 3.6% in New York.
Route planning tips for Cortland fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-81, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 27.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New York; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 35.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New York; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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.
Reporting was incomplete in 2023 and 2024, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Cortland County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 3 |
| SR-281 | 1 |
| SR-90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cortland County) |
|---|---|
| SR-81 | 2 |
| Exit 50 I 81 Nb To Sr 41 | 1 |
| Sr 281 To I 81 | 1 |
Cortland at a glance
| Population | 17,459 |
| Land area | 3.9 sq mi |
| Density | 4,484 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 13045) | $69,961 |
| Median home value (ZIP 13045) | $168,817 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cortland 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 | 34 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 41 | +21% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 49 | +19% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 44 | -10% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 34 a year in the 1990s and 44 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cortland
How many truck accidents are there in Cortland?
451 truck crashes have been reported in Cortland County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 154 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Cortland?
I-81 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cortland since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cortland?
Truck crashes in Cortland County peak in January, with 16.0% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cortland?
Garbage trucks were involved in 8 reported crashes in Cortland County since 2015 (1.8% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Cortland compared with New York?
Cortland County records 103.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cortland?
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 and 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.