Sand Lake, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sand Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sand Lake and Rensselaer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Rensselaer County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
20 of 608 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rensselaer County compares with New York State
Rensselaer 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 Rensselaer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rensselaer County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.4 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 37% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 9% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.3% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.9% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.2% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.7% | 41.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.6% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Compared with New York, Rensselaer County is lower on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Rensselaer County: +89% yearly reported truck crashes went from 30 in the 2000s to 57 in the 2010s.
Overview
Police reported 608 crashes involving commercial trucks in Rensselaer County since 2015: 282 people were injured and 11 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
Sand Lake had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Rensselaer County numbers.
95% of truck crash reports in Rensselaer 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 10.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.1%.
November through March accounts for 41.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.8% in New York.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.7%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.4% in New York.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-787 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). After it: SR-142 (1), US-4 (1) and Williams Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 20 crashes, 3.3% of the total, against 3.6% across New York.
Their busiest month is November, with 35% of garbage-truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Sand Lake fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Rensselaer County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-787; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at November schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 27.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New York; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 11.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above New York), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2023 and 2024 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 Rensselaer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-787 | 2 |
| SR-142 | 1 |
| US-4 | 1 |
| Williams Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rensselaer County) |
|---|---|
| Berkshire Spur | 1 |
| Berkshire Spur Bridge | 1 |
| Columbia Tnpk | 1 |
| I-90 | 1 |
| Longwoods Dr. | 1 |
| Morrison Ave | 1 |
| Pinewoods Ave. | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
Sand Lake at a glance
| Population | 8,353 |
| Land area | 35.0 sq mi |
| Density | 238 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 12018) | $126,620 |
| Median home value (ZIP 12018) | $340,019 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rensselaer 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 | 27 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 30 | +12% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 54 | +78% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 59 | +10% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 27 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 59. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sand Lake
How many truck accidents are there in Sand Lake?
Since 2015, 608 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rensselaer County (282 injured, 11 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Sand Lake?
Since 2015, I-787 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Sand Lake: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Sand Lake?
Truck crashes in Rensselaer County peak in December, with 10.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Sand Lake?
20 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Rensselaer County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Sand Lake compared with New York?
Rensselaer County records 40.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Sand Lake?
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.