Hershey, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Hershey: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Hershey and Dauphin County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Dauphin 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 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Dauphin County compares with Pennsylvania
Dauphin County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dauphin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dauphin County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 93.8 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 19% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 69% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.7% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 37% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.6% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 8% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.8% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.2% | 24.2% | 24.8% | same |
Dauphin County has lower values than Pennsylvania for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Dauphin County: 1 in 88 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.1%, vs 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,229 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Dauphin County. They injured 1,233 people and killed 62.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Hershey had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Dauphin County numbers.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.4% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.1% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Pennsylvania.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 5.7% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
I-81 leads within 10 miles of Hershey with 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-283 (2), I-76 (2) and SR-230 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 35 crashes, 1.1% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Their busiest month is March, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.9 deaths compared with 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Hershey fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Dauphin County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-81; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Dauphin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 11 |
| I-283 | 2 |
| I-76 | 2 |
| SR-230 | 2 |
| SR-300 | 2 |
| SR-934 | 2 |
| Eby Rd | 1 |
| I-0083 | 1 |
| I-83 | 1 |
| Jonestown Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dauphin County) |
|---|---|
| I-0081 | 856 |
| I-0083 | 545 |
| SR-0022 | 325 |
| SR-0300 | 146 |
| I-6000 | 142 |
| I-0283 | 132 |
| SR-0230 | 98 |
| SR-0039 | 61 |
Hershey at a glance
| Land area | 14.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 17033) | $72,945 |
| Median home value (ZIP 17033) | $382,900 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dauphin 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 | 192 | — | 3.8 |
| 2000s | 216 | +12% | 4.9 |
| 2010s | 222 | +3% | 4.6 |
| 2020s | 265 | +20% | 4.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 192 a year in the 1990s and 265 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 4.2 a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Hershey
How common are truck crashes in Hershey?
3,229 truck crashes have been reported in Dauphin County since 2015, with 62 deaths and 1,233 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Hershey?
Since 2015, I-81 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Hershey: 11.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Hershey?
August has the most truck crashes in Dauphin County, 9.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Hershey?
35 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Dauphin County since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Hershey compared with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 93.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Dauphin County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Hershey?
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.