Tompkins County, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Tompkins County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
18 of 334 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Tompkins County compares with New York State
Tompkins 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 Tompkins County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Tompkins County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.5 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 35% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 40% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.9% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.9% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.3% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.2% | 41.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 13.0% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 41% below the state |
Tompkins County has lower values than New York for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Tompkins County: 15.9% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.4% in New York.
Overview
Since 2015, 334 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Tompkins County. They injured 154 people and killed 5.
That averages about one truck crash every 9 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.8% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.2% of truck crashes, vs 41.8% for New York.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 11.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New York: 9.4%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Tompkins County since 2015: N Triphammer Rd (1), SR-13 (1), SR-79 (1), SR-96 (1) and West Lake Rd (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 18 crashes, 5.4% of the total, against 3.6% across New York.
Route planning tips for Tompkins County fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.9% of truck crashes here, more than New York; adjust start times where you can.
- 15.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New York; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Tompkins County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Tompkins County) |
|---|---|
| N Triphammer Rd | 1 |
| SR-13 | 1 |
| SR-79 | 1 |
| SR-96 | 1 |
| West Lake Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Tompkins County) |
|---|---|
| Buck Rd. | 1 |
| SR-13 | 1 |
| Slaterville Rd | 1 |
Tompkins County at a glance
| Population | 105,602 |
| Land area | 474.6 sq mi |
| Density | 222 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $74,256 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Tompkins 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 | 15 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 20 | +29% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 37 | +88% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 36 | -1% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 15 a year in the 1990s and 36 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Tompkins County
ZIP codes in Tompkins County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Tompkins County
How many truck crashes happen in Tompkins County?
334 truck crashes have been reported in Tompkins County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 154 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Tompkins County?
The worst month is July: 10.8% of truck crashes in Tompkins County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Tompkins County?
18 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Tompkins County since 2015, 5.4% of all truck crashes.
How does Tompkins County compare with New York for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Tompkins County has 36.5 truck crashes a year; New York has 28.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Tompkins County?
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.