Valley Falls, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Valley Falls: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Valley Falls 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 |
Rensselaer County sits below New York 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.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Valley Falls since 2015, this page uses Rensselaer County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 11.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New York: 9.4%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Valley Falls since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-40 (2), SR-7 (2), SR-146 (1) and SR-67 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 20 crashes, 3.3% of the total, against 3.6% across New York.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in November (35% of them).
Route planning tips for Valley Falls fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Rensselaer County.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in November; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.9% of truck crashes here, more than New York; adjust start times where you can.
- 11.3% 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 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 Rensselaer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-40 | 2 |
| SR-7 | 2 |
| SR-146 | 1 |
| SR-67 | 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 |
Valley Falls at a glance
| Population | 453 |
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Density | 978 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 12185) | $110,625 |
| Median home value (ZIP 12185) | $209,828 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 27 a year in the 1990s and 59 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Valley Falls
How common are truck crashes in Valley Falls?
Since 2015, 608 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rensselaer County (282 injured, 11 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Valley Falls?
Truck crashes in Rensselaer County peak in December, with 10.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Valley Falls?
Garbage trucks were involved in 20 reported crashes in Rensselaer County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Valley Falls compare with New York?
The yearly rate is 40.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rensselaer County, vs 28.0 for New York.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Valley Falls?
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 and 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.