Swarthmore, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Swarthmore: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Swarthmore and Delaware County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Delaware County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Delaware County compares with Pennsylvania
Delaware County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Delaware County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Delaware County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.4 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 35% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 46% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 73% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.9% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.4% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.3% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 8% below the state |
Delaware County has lower values than Pennsylvania for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Pennsylvania on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Delaware County at a glance: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 14% of them.
Overview
Delaware County has recorded 2,550 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,311 people injured and 35 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
With 9 truck crashes reported in Swarthmore since 2015, this page uses Delaware County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 9.4% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Swarthmore since 2015: I-476 (4), I-76 (4), I-95 (4), US-13 (4) and US-322 (4). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 124 crashes, 4.9% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in October (14% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.0 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Swarthmore fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Delaware County.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in October; review collection routes for that month.
- Morning starts matter: 26.9% 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
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Delaware County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-476 | 4 |
| I-76 | 4 |
| I-95 | 4 |
| US-13 | 4 |
| US-322 | 4 |
| I-295 | 2 |
| I-495 | 2 |
| US-1 | 2 |
| CR-130 | 1 |
| CR-662 High Hill Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Delaware County) |
|---|---|
| I-0095 | 584 |
| I-0476 | 376 |
| SR-0322 | 147 |
| SR-0001 | 146 |
| SR-0003 | 91 |
| SR-0013 | 89 |
| SR-0291 | 82 |
| SR-0452 | 49 |
Swarthmore at a glance
| Population | 6,596 |
| Land area | 1.4 sq mi |
| Density | 4,711 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 19081) | $134,135 |
| Median home value (ZIP 19081) | $378,766 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Delaware 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 | 157 | — | 3.2 |
| 2000s | 156 | -1% | 2.8 |
| 2010s | 174 | +12% | 2.3 |
| 2020s | 229 | +32% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 157 a year in the 1990s and 229 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 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Swarthmore
How many truck crashes happen in Swarthmore?
Delaware County has had 2,550 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,311 people and killing 35.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Swarthmore?
Truck crashes in Delaware County peak in May, with 9.4% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Swarthmore?
124 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Delaware County since 2015, 4.9% of all truck crashes.
How does Swarthmore compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 37.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Delaware County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Swarthmore?
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.