Wheatley Heights, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wheatley Heights: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wheatley Heights 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).
What stands out in Suffolk County: +115% change in yearly reported truck crashes from the 2000s (176) to the 2010s (378).
Overview
Police reported 4,506 crashes involving commercial trucks in Suffolk County since 2015: 3,537 people were injured and 83 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Wheatley Heights had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Suffolk County numbers.
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
Truck crashes peak in August (10.0% of the year) and are lowest in March (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 Wheatley Heights is I-495, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-27 (5), SR-109 (4) and SR-25 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
129 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.9% share (New York: 3.6%).
Their busiest month is March, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 1.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Wheatley Heights fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Suffolk County.
- Check whether your routes use I-495, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Suffolk County.
- 30.4% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New York; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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, 2024 and 2025, 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 Suffolk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 8 |
| SR-27 | 5 |
| SR-109 | 4 |
| SR-25 | 3 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| SR-454 | 2 |
| 1049 Commack Rd | 1 |
| 906C Sunrise Hwy Service Rd | 1 |
| Bunker Ave | 1 |
| CR-100 Suffolk Ave | 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 |
Wheatley Heights at a glance
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 5.5 a year in 2016–19 and 8.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wheatley Heights
How common are truck crashes in Wheatley Heights?
Suffolk County has had 4,506 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,537 people and killing 83.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Wheatley Heights?
Since 2015, I-495 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wheatley Heights: 8.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Wheatley Heights?
The worst month is August: 10.0% of truck crashes in Suffolk County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Wheatley Heights?
129 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Suffolk County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How does Wheatley Heights compare with New York for truck crashes?
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 Wheatley Heights?
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.