Polk Township, Jefferson County, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polk Township, Jefferson County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Polk Township, Jefferson County and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 699 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Pennsylvania
Jefferson County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 136.0 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 2.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 48% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 2.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.4% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 21% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 30.3% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.4% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 34.2% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Jefferson County sits below Pennsylvania on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Jefferson County at a glance: 20.5% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Overview
Jefferson County has recorded 699 truck crashes since 2015, with 379 people injured and 22 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 6 days in fully reported years.
Polk Township, Jefferson County had 2 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Jefferson County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 13.6% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (5.3%).
November through March accounts for 48.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 5–6 pm stands out with 6.9% of truck crashes.
20.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Polk happened on SR-28 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
12 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.7% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
Route planning tips for Polk Township, Jefferson County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 20.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Pennsylvania; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-28 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I-0080 | 484 |
| SR-0036 | 38 |
| SR-0028 | 36 |
| SR-0219 | 26 |
| SR-0322 | 24 |
| Keystone Shortway Rd | 21 |
| SR-0119 | 20 |
| SR-0536 | 5 |
Polk Township, Jefferson County at a glance
| Population | 276 |
| Land area | 32.1 sq mi |
| Density | 9 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 15860) | $65,774 |
| Median home value (ZIP 15860) | $141,817 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 53 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 46 | -15% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 50 | +9% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 56 | +12% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 53 a year in the 1990s and 56 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Polk Township, Jefferson County
How many truck crashes happen in Polk Township, Jefferson County?
Jefferson County has had 699 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 379 people and killing 22.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk Township, Jefferson County?
January has the most truck crashes in Jefferson County, 13.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Polk Township, Jefferson County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Jefferson County since 2015 (1.7% of truck crashes).
How does Polk Township, Jefferson County compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 136.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jefferson County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Polk Township, Jefferson County?
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.