Caroline, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Caroline: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Caroline and Tompkins County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Tompkins County numbers.
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 |
Compared with New York, Tompkins County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and after dark. It runs above New York on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Tompkins County: 15.9% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.4% in New York.
Overview
Police reported 334 crashes involving commercial trucks in Tompkins County since 2015: 154 people were injured and 5 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 9 days.
Caroline had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Tompkins County numbers.
96% of truck crash reports in Tompkins County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.8% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.2% of truck crashes, against 41.8% across New York.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out 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
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Caroline happened on West Lake Rd (1); no road leads clearly.
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 Caroline fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Tompkins County.
- 28.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New York; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 15.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above New York), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Tompkins County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Caroline at a glance
| Population | 3,264 |
| Land area | 54.8 sq mi |
| Density | 60 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 14817) | $77,228 |
| Median home value (ZIP 14817) | $210,430 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 15 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 36. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Caroline
How common are truck crashes in Caroline?
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 Caroline?
The worst month is July: 10.8% of truck crashes in Tompkins County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Caroline?
Since 2015, Tompkins County has reported 18 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Caroline compare with New York for truck crashes?
Tompkins County records 36.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Caroline?
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.