Reading, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Reading: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
17 of 261 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Reading compares with Pennsylvania
Reading against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Reading stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Reading | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.3 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 59% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 38% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.9% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 51% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.8% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.3% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Reading sits below Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Pennsylvania on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Reading: 1 in 14 crashes involve a garbage truck (17 since 2015), vs 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Overview
Since 2015, 261 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Reading. They injured 123 people and killed 4.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 16 days.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 14.2% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (6.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.2% of truck crashes.
4.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-222 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). Next come SR-61 (3), US-422 (3) and I-176 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
17 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.5% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
Route planning tips for Reading fleets
- Build extra time into September routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-222 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 26.8% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Pennsylvania.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Reading
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-222 | 7 |
| SR-61 | 3 |
| US-422 | 3 |
| I-176 | 2 |
| Oley St | 1 |
| Papermill Rd | 1 |
| Rising Sun Av | 1 |
| SR-183 | 1 |
| SR-4017 | 1 |
| SR-73 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Reading) |
|---|---|
| SR-0422 | 27 |
| SR-0012 | 22 |
| SR-3222 | 21 |
| SR-2005 | 19 |
| SR-0183 | 14 |
| SR-0061 | 9 |
| SR-2008 | 8 |
| SR-2003 | 8 |
Reading at a glance
| Population | 96,000 |
| Land area | 9.8 sq mi |
| Density | 9,753 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Reading 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 | 24 | — | 7.2 |
| 2000s | 18 | -27% | 7.7 |
| 2010s | 18 | +3% | 5.7 |
| 2020s | 25 | +37% | 5.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 24 to 25. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 7.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Reading
How many truck accidents are there in Reading?
Reading has had 261 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 123 people and killing 4.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Reading?
US-222 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Reading since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Reading?
Truck crashes in Reading peak in September, with 14.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Reading?
Garbage trucks were involved in 17 reported crashes in Reading since 2015 (6.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Reading compare with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 23.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Reading, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Reading?
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.