Charlestown, OH truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Charlestown: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Charlestown and Portage County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Portage County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Portage County compares with Ohio
Portage County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Portage County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Portage County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 70.9 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 26% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 14% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 11% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.8% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.2% | 21.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.6% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.3% | 42.3% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 23.9% | 25.8% | 24.8% | 7% below the state |
Compared with Ohio, Portage County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Portage County: 11.8% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 7.8% across Ohio.
Overview
Police reported 1,351 crashes involving commercial trucks in Portage County since 2015: 586 people were injured and 32 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Charlestown since 2015; patterns below come from Portage County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.3% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.3% of truck crashes, against 42.3% across Ohio.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.8% of truck crashes, compared with 7.8% in Ohio.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-14 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). Next come I-76 (3), SR-303 (2) and SR-5 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
29 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.1% share (Ohio: 2.5%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.4, vs 2.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Charlestown fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-14; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Portage County.
- Morning starts matter: 23.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Ohio.
- 11.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Ohio; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Portage County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-14 | 5 |
| I-76 | 3 |
| SR-303 | 2 |
| SR-5 | 2 |
| SR-59 | 2 |
| CR-0125 Alliance Rd | 1 |
| CR-167 Peck Rd | 1 |
| I-80 | 1 |
| SR-225 | 1 |
| SR-43 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Portage County) |
|---|---|
| Ir 80 | 290 |
| Ir 76 | 189 |
| Ir 0076 | 128 |
| SR-14 | 114 |
| Ir 0080 | 74 |
| SR-0014 | 45 |
| SR-44 | 36 |
| SR-43 | 34 |
Charlestown at a glance
| Population | 1,781 |
| Land area | 20.5 sq mi |
| Density | 87 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 44266) | $64,918 |
| Median home value (ZIP 44266) | $176,765 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Portage 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 | 10 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 91 | +794% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 126 | +39% | 2.9 |
| 2020s | 103 | -18% | 3.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 10 a year in the 1990s and 103 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 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Charlestown
How common are truck crashes in Charlestown?
1,351 truck crashes have been reported in Portage County since 2015, with 32 deaths and 586 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Charlestown?
SR-14 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Charlestown since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Charlestown?
The worst month is January: 11.3% of truck crashes in Portage County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Charlestown?
Garbage trucks were involved in 29 reported crashes in Portage County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Charlestown compare with Ohio?
The yearly rate is 70.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Portage County, vs 50.8 for Ohio.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Charlestown?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.