Columbia, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Columbia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Columbia and Herkimer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Herkimer County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
18 of 331 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Herkimer County compares with New York State
Herkimer County against New York State and the US, 2015–2021 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Herkimer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2021) | Herkimer County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 64.7 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 2.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 49% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.9% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 23.7% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 2.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.1% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 31.1% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.0% | 41.8% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 18.5% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Compared with New York, Herkimer County is lower on injuries per crash, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark. It runs above New York on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Herkimer County: 23.7% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (New York: 9.4%).
Overview
Since 2015, 331 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Herkimer County. They injured 127 people and killed 11.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 9 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Columbia since 2015, this page uses Herkimer County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
94% of truck crash reports in Herkimer 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 (12.7% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 50.0% of truck crashes, vs 41.8% for New York.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 11.8% of truck crashes.
23.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.4% across New York.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Columbia since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-2A Stone Rd (1), I-90 (1) and SR-5S (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
18 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.4% share (New York: 3.6%).
Route planning tips for Columbia fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 23.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above New York), plan winter equipment 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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Herkimer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-2A Stone Rd | 1 |
| I-90 | 1 |
| SR-5S | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Herkimer County) |
|---|---|
| SR-28 | 2 |
| I-90 | 1 |
| SR-51 | 1 |
| Summit Rd. | 1 |
Columbia at a glance
| Population | 1,591 |
| Land area | 35.1 sq mi |
| Density | 45 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 13357) | $63,678 |
| Median home value (ZIP 13357) | $116,980 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Herkimer 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 | 23 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 30 | +30% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 37 | +23% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 34 | -6% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 23 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 34. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. 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 Columbia
How many truck crashes happen in Columbia?
Since 2015, 331 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Herkimer County (127 injured, 11 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Columbia?
Truck crashes in Herkimer County peak in January, with 12.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Columbia?
Since 2015, Herkimer County has reported 18 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Columbia compared with New York?
Herkimer County records 64.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Columbia?
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 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.