Salem, NY truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Salem: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Salem and Washington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Washington County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 212 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Washington County compares with New York State
Washington County against New York State and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Washington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Washington County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.9 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 25% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.68 | 0.73 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 17% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.8% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.0% | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.1% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.6% | 41.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.2% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 31% below the state |
Compared with New York, Washington County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Washington County: February 12.7% of truck crashes happen in February, more than any other month.
Overview
Washington County has recorded 212 truck crashes since 2015, with 146 people injured and 3 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 16 days.
Salem had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Washington County numbers.
97% of truck crash reports in Washington County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 12.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 5.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.6% of truck crashes, vs 41.8% for New York.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 11.3% of truck crashes.
12.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.4% across New York.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Salem.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 2.8%, compared with 3.6% in New York.
Route planning tips for Salem fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Washington County.
- 12.8% 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 and 2024 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 Washington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Washington County) |
|---|---|
| Broadway | 1 |
| Hicks Rd | 1 |
| SR-22A | 1 |
Salem at a glance
| Population | 2,600 |
| Land area | 2.9 sq mi |
| Density | 886 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 12865) | $71,983 |
| Median home value (ZIP 12865) | $198,205 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Washington 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 | 19 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 22 | +14% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 27 | +26% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 18 | -33% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 19 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 18. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Salem
How common are truck crashes in Salem?
Since 2015, 212 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Washington County (146 injured, 3 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Salem?
February has the most truck crashes in Washington County, 12.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Salem?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in Washington County since 2015 (2.8% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Salem compare with New York?
Per 100,000 residents, Washington County has 37.9 truck crashes a year; New York has 28.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Salem?
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 and 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.