Syracuse, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Syracuse: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Syracuse and Onondaga County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Onondaga County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Onondaga County compares with New York State
Onondaga 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 Onondaga County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Onondaga County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 45.3 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 35% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 32% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.9% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 2.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.2% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 28.4% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.3% | 41.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 21.8% | 22.1% | 24.8% | same |
Onondaga County has lower values than New York for deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Onondaga County at a glance: 19.9% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.4% in New York.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,848 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Onondaga County. They injured 947 people and killed 28.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
With 7 truck crashes reported in Syracuse since 2015, this page uses Onondaga County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
97% of truck crash reports in Onondaga 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 (12.0% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.9%).
November through March accounts for 47.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.8% in New York.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 19.9% of truck crashes, compared with 9.4% in New York.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-81 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come I-90 (2), Aspen Springs Dr (1) and CR-41 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 73 crashes, 4.0% of the total, against 3.6% across New York.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in October (14% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.5 deaths compared with 1.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Syracuse 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.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Onondaga County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.2% of truck crashes here, more than New York; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 19.9% of truck crashes here, more than New York; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 Onondaga County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 4 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| Aspen Springs Dr | 1 |
| CR-41 | 1 |
| CR-45 | 1 |
| CR-45 7Th N St | 1 |
| Comstock Ave | 1 |
| E Molloy Rd | 1 |
| I-690 | 1 |
| SR-173 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Onondaga County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| Cherry Valley Turnpike | 2 |
| Sysco Drwy | 2 |
| I - 90 Exit 36 | 1 |
| I 81 Sb To I 90 | 1 |
| I-81 | 1 |
| I481 To I90 | 1 |
| Ifo 4900 Route 80 | 1 |
Syracuse at a glance
| Population | 146,097 |
| Land area | 25.1 sq mi |
| Density | 5,830 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Onondaga 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 | 103 | — | 2.6 |
| 2000s | 121 | +18% | 2.2 |
| 2010s | 194 | +60% | 3.3 |
| 2020s | 187 | -4% | 1.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 103 to 187. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 3.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Syracuse
How common are truck crashes in Syracuse?
Since 2015, 1,848 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Onondaga County (947 injured, 28 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Syracuse?
NHTSA data shows I-81 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Syracuse since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Syracuse?
January has the most truck crashes in Onondaga County, 12.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Syracuse?
Garbage trucks were involved in 73 reported crashes in Onondaga County since 2015 (4.0% of truck crashes).
How does Syracuse compare with New York for truck crashes?
Onondaga County records 45.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Syracuse?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
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.