Riverhead, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Riverhead: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Riverhead and Suffolk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Suffolk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Suffolk County compares with New York State
Suffolk 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 Suffolk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Suffolk County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.0 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 20% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.77 | 0.73 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 22% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.4% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 64% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.4% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.1% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 38% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.0% | 41.8% | 41.9% | 14% below the state |
| After dark | 13.5% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 39% below the state |
Suffolk County sits below New York on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Suffolk County: +115% change in yearly reported truck crashes from the 2000s (176) to the 2010s (378).
Overview
Since 2015, 4,506 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Suffolk County. They injured 3,537 people and killed 83.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 6 truck crashes reported in Riverhead since 2015, this page uses Suffolk County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
98% of truck crash reports in Suffolk County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 10.0% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (6.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 36.0% of truck crashes, vs 41.8% for New York.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.4% of truck crashes, compared with 9.4% in New York.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Riverhead is SR-27, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-104 Quogue Riverhead Rd (1), CR-105 Cross River Dr (1) and CR-111 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
129 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.9% share (New York: 3.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (12%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.7, vs 1.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Riverhead fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-27, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at March schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 30.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than New York.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
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 Suffolk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-27 | 2 |
| CR-104 Quogue Riverhead Rd | 1 |
| CR-105 Cross River Dr | 1 |
| CR-111 | 1 |
| Eastport Manor Rd | 1 |
| Horton Ave | 1 |
| Sound Ave | 1 |
| Speonk Riverhead Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Suffolk County) |
|---|---|
| Cross River Drive | 2 |
| Exit 39S Southern State Pkwy | 2 |
| Old Country Road | 2 |
| Broadway | 1 |
| Center Dr. | 1 |
| County Road 39A | 1 |
| Cr 39 | 1 |
| E Jericho Tnpk | 1 |
Riverhead at a glance
| Population | 36,067 |
| Land area | 15.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2,390 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 11901) | $85,061 |
| Median home value (ZIP 11901) | $452,614 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Suffolk 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 | 166 | — | 10.3 |
| 2000s | 176 | +6% | 9.6 |
| 2010s | 378 | +115% | 7.7 |
| 2020s | 527 | +39% | 8.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 166 a year in the 1990s and 527 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 5.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 8.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Riverhead
How many truck accidents are there in Riverhead?
Since 2015, 4,506 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Suffolk County (3,537 injured, 83 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Riverhead?
SR-27 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Riverhead since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Riverhead?
Truck crashes in Suffolk County peak in August, with 10.0% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Riverhead?
129 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Suffolk County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Riverhead compare with New York?
Suffolk County records 35.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Riverhead?
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, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.