Rotterdam, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rotterdam: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Rotterdam and Schenectady County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Schenectady County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 0.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Schenectady County compares with New York State
Schenectady 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 Schenectady County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Schenectady County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.9 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.6 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 70% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 48% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.1% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.0% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.0% | 17.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 41.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.2% | 22.1% | 24.8% | same |
Schenectady County sits below New York on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Schenectady County: +117% yearly reported truck crashes went from 29 in the 2000s to 63 in the 2010s.
Overview
Schenectady County has recorded 576 truck crashes since 2015, with 229 people injured and 5 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 5 days in fully reported years.
Rotterdam had 8 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Schenectady County numbers.
96% of truck crash reports in Schenectady 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, 10.6% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (6.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.4% of truck crashes, against 41.8% across New York.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.1% of truck crashes, compared with 9.4% in New York.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-90 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by SR-5 (2), E Highland Dr (1) and SR-7 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 24 crashes, 4.2% of the total, against 3.6% across New York.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (21% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 0.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Rotterdam fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-90 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 11.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New York; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
Crash reporting for 2023, 2024 and 2025 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 Schenectady County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| SR-5 | 2 |
| E Highland Dr | 1 |
| SR-7 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Schenectady County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 4 |
| Glenridge Rd. | 2 |
| Crosstown & Watt St | 1 |
| Glenridge Road | 1 |
Rotterdam at a glance
| Population | 30,981 |
| Land area | 8.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,776 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 12307) | $24,758 |
| Median home value (ZIP 12307) | $104,536 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Schenectady 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 | 25 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 29 | +16% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 63 | +117% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 61 | -3% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 25 a year in the 1990s and 61 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 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Rotterdam
How many truck crashes happen in Rotterdam?
Schenectady County has had 576 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 229 people and killing 5.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Rotterdam?
Since 2015, I-90 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Rotterdam: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Rotterdam?
January has the most truck crashes in Schenectady County, 10.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Rotterdam?
24 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Schenectady County since 2015, 4.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Rotterdam compared with New York?
The yearly rate is 40.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Schenectady County, vs 28.0 for New York.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Rotterdam?
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 2023, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.