Willoughby, OH truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Willoughby: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Willoughby and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with Ohio
Lake County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.4 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 42% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 39% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.66 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.6% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 2.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.0% | 21.4% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.4% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.1% | 42.3% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 23.4% | 25.8% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Lake County sits below Ohio on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Lake County: 19.6% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 7.8% across Ohio.
Overview
Police reported 799 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lake County since 2015: 517 people were injured and 15 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
With 81 truck crashes reported in Willoughby since 2015, this page uses Lake County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (16.1% of the year) and are lowest in April (4.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.1% of truck crashes, vs 42.3% for Ohio.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (9.8%).
Road surface: 19.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Ohio: 7.8%).
Where crashes happen
I-90 leads within 10 miles of Willoughby with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-44 (2), 329 St (1) and CR-279 Bringham Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 36 crashes, 4.5% of the total, against 2.5% across Ohio.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in July (25% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.9 deaths compared with 1.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Willoughby fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake County.
- Check whether your routes use I-90, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- With 19.6% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Ohio), 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| SR-44 | 2 |
| 329 St | 1 |
| CR-279 Bringham Rd | 1 |
| Green Rd | 1 |
| I-271 | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| SR-283 | 1 |
| SR-640 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| Ir 90 | 239 |
| Ir 0090 | 123 |
| SR-2 | 42 |
| Ir 271 | 24 |
| US-20 | 20 |
| Mentor Av | 18 |
| SR-91 | 16 |
| Center St | 15 |
Willoughby at a glance
| Population | 24,208 |
| Land area | 10.2 sq mi |
| Density | 2,365 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | 16 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 51 | +217% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 81 | +59% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 55 | -32% | 1.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 16 a year in the 1990s and 55 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 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Willoughby
How common are truck crashes in Willoughby?
Lake County has had 799 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 517 people and killing 15.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Willoughby?
NHTSA data shows I-90 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Willoughby since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Willoughby?
The worst month is January: 16.1% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Willoughby?
36 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 4.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Willoughby compare with Ohio?
The yearly rate is 29.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 50.8 for Ohio.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Willoughby?
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.