Bern, OH truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bern: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bern and Athens County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Athens County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 186 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Athens County compares with Ohio
Athens County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Athens County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Athens County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.3 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 50% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 2.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.2% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.0% | 7.8% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.3% | 21.4% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.2% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 25% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 42.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.4% | 25.8% | 24.8% | same |
Athens County sits below Ohio on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Athens County: 1 in 16 crashes involve a garbage truck (12 since 2015), vs 2.5% across Ohio.
Overview
Police reported 186 crashes involving commercial trucks in Athens County since 2015: 74 people were injured and 13 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 23 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Bern since 2015; patterns below come from Athens County as a whole.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 11.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (4.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.9% of truck crashes, vs 42.3% for Ohio.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 10.2% of truck crashes.
8.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 7.8% across Ohio.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Bern since 2015: US-50 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 12 of the truck crashes here, or 6.5%, compared with 2.5% in Ohio.
Route planning tips for Bern fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Athens County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Athens County) |
|---|---|
| US-33 | 65 |
| US-50 | 44 |
| SR-13 | 10 |
| SR-550 | 5 |
| SR-144 | 4 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| Court St | 3 |
| SR-32 | 3 |
Bern at a glance
| Population | 564 |
| Land area | 31.3 sq mi |
| Density | 18 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 45711) | $79,464 |
| Median home value (ZIP 45711) | $219,522 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Athens 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 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 14 | -5% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 17 | +24% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 14 | -17% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 15 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bern
How many truck accidents are there in Bern?
186 truck crashes have been reported in Athens County since 2015, with 13 deaths and 74 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Bern?
July has the most truck crashes in Athens County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Bern?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Athens County since 2015 (6.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Bern compare with Ohio?
Per 100,000 residents, Athens County has 25.3 truck crashes a year; Ohio has 50.8.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Bern?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.