Elk Creek, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elk Creek: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elk Creek and Erie County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Erie County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Erie County compares with Pennsylvania
Erie County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Erie County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Erie County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 47.4 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 17% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 46% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 20% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 33.2% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 3.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 7% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 31.4% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 54.3% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.3× the state |
| After dark | 28.1% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Erie County has lower values than Pennsylvania for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. It runs above Pennsylvania on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar).
Erie County at a glance: 33.2% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,491 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Erie County. They injured 690 people and killed 19.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
With 7 truck crashes reported in Elk Creek since 2015, this page uses Erie County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 19.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.7%.
November through March accounts for 54.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 33.2% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Elk Creek happened on I-90 (2), SR-18 (1) and SR-98 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 40 crashes, 2.7% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (20%).
They recorded 2.5 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Elk Creek fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- 33.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Pennsylvania; 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 Erie County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 2 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-98 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Erie County) |
|---|---|
| I-0090 | 660 |
| SR-0020 | 81 |
| I-0079 | 73 |
| SR-0005 | 71 |
| SR-0197 | 38 |
| SR-0006 | 32 |
| SR-0019 | 31 |
| SR-0008 | 30 |
Elk Creek at a glance
| Population | 1,818 |
| Land area | 34.7 sq mi |
| Density | 52 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 16410) | $83,977 |
| Median home value (ZIP 16410) | $194,511 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Erie 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 | 125 | — | 4.3 |
| 2000s | 137 | +9% | 3.3 |
| 2010s | 105 | -24% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 124 | +18% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 125 a year in the 1990s and 124 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 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elk Creek
How many truck crashes happen in Elk Creek?
Since 2015, 1,491 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Erie County (690 injured, 19 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Elk Creek?
Truck crashes in Erie County peak in January, with 19.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elk Creek?
Garbage trucks were involved in 40 reported crashes in Erie County since 2015 (2.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Elk Creek compare with Pennsylvania?
Per 100,000 residents, Erie County has 47.4 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Elk Creek?
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.