Dalton, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dalton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dalton and Lackawanna County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lackawanna County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lackawanna County compares with Pennsylvania
Lackawanna County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lackawanna County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.9 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.0% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.2% | 24.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Dalton: I-81 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Dalton: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Lackawanna County has recorded 1,696 truck crashes since 2015, with 743 people injured and 37 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
Only 3 truck crashes were reported in Dalton since 2015; patterns below come from Lackawanna County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.5% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.0%).
November through March accounts for 44.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Dalton is I-81, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-0081 (2), SR-307 (2) and US-6 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 76 of the truck crashes here, or 4.5%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.8 deaths compared with 2.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Dalton fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lackawanna County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-81; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- With 11.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Pennsylvania), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Lackawanna County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 7 |
| I-0081 | 2 |
| SR-307 | 2 |
| US-6 | 2 |
| SR-3011 | 1 |
| SR-632 | 1 |
| SR-92 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lackawanna County) |
|---|---|
| I-0081 | 473 |
| I-0084 | 143 |
| I-0380 | 81 |
| SR-0011 | 75 |
| SR-0006 | 73 |
| SR-6006 | 53 |
| SR-3013 | 45 |
| I-7476 | 33 |
Dalton at a glance
| Population | 1,293 |
| Land area | 3.0 sq mi |
| Density | 428 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 18414) | $93,065 |
| Median home value (ZIP 18414) | $288,095 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lackawanna 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 | 112 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 130 | +16% | 1.9 |
| 2010s | 121 | -6% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 151 | +25% | 2.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 112 to 151. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dalton
How many truck crashes happen in Dalton?
1,696 truck crashes have been reported in Lackawanna County since 2015, with 37 deaths and 743 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Dalton?
NHTSA data shows I-81 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Dalton since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Dalton?
Truck crashes in Lackawanna County peak in January, with 9.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Dalton?
76 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lackawanna County since 2015, 4.5% of all truck crashes.
How does Dalton compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Lackawanna County has 66.9 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Dalton?
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.