Erie, OH truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Erie: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Erie and Ottawa County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ottawa County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 284 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Ottawa County compares with Ohio
Ottawa County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ottawa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ottawa County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 60.2 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 52% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.6% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.8% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 21.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.1% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.4% | 42.3% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 26.2% | 25.8% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Ohio, Ottawa County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Ohio on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Ottawa County: 1 in 22 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.6%, vs 2.5% in Ohio.
Overview
Ottawa County has recorded 284 truck crashes since 2015, with 142 people injured and 8 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 15 days in fully reported years.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Erie since 2015; patterns below come from Ottawa County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (11.6% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.4% of truck crashes, against 42.3% across Ohio.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 9.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.8% of truck crashes, compared with 7.8% in Ohio.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Erie since 2015: CR-30 Catawba (1), SR-163 (1), SR-53 (1), TR-92 Toussaint Portage Rd (1) and TR-98 W Schiller Rd (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 4.6%, compared with 2.5% in Ohio.
Route planning tips for Erie fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 8.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Ohio; 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
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 Ottawa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-30 Catawba | 1 |
| SR-163 | 1 |
| SR-53 | 1 |
| TR-92 Toussaint Portage Rd | 1 |
| TR-98 W Schiller Rd | 1 |
| US-6 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ottawa County) |
|---|---|
| Ir 80 | 77 |
| SR-2 | 64 |
| SR-163 | 35 |
| SR-579 | 17 |
| SR-51 | 14 |
| State Route 2 St | 6 |
| State Route 2 Hw | 5 |
| SR-19 | 4 |
Erie at a glance
| Population | 1,160 |
| Land area | 12.2 sq mi |
| Density | 95 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ottawa 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 | 2 | — | 2.8 |
| 2000s | 26 | +1190% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 25 | -2% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 21 | -15% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 21. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Erie
How many truck crashes happen in Erie?
284 truck crashes have been reported in Ottawa County since 2015, with 8 deaths and 142 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Erie?
The worst month is February: 11.6% of truck crashes in Ottawa County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Erie?
Since 2015, Ottawa County has reported 13 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Erie compare with Ohio?
Per 100,000 residents, Ottawa County has 60.2 truck crashes a year; Ohio has 50.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Erie?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.