Ellwood City, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ellwood City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ellwood City and Lawrence County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lawrence County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lawrence County compares with Pennsylvania
Lawrence County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lawrence County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.0 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 32% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.7% | 9.1% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.0% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.1% | 19.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.3% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 21.1% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Lawrence County has lower values than Pennsylvania for crashes per 100k residents / yr, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Lawrence County: 1 in 16 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.1%, against 3.6% for Pennsylvania.
Overview
Lawrence County has recorded 385 truck crashes since 2015, with 168 people injured and 12 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
Ellwood City had 11 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lawrence County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in April (9.9% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.3% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 9.7% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-76 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by SR-288 (2), I-376 (1) and I-79 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
23 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.0% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (17% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Ellwood City fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lawrence County.
- Look at alternatives to I-76 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Lawrence County.
- 28.0% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Pennsylvania; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Lawrence County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-76 | 3 |
| SR-288 | 2 |
| I-376 | 1 |
| I-79 | 1 |
| SR-0168 | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-3025 | 1 |
| SR-351 | 1 |
| SR-4013 | 1 |
| SR-488 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lawrence County) |
|---|---|
| SR-0422 | 58 |
| SR-0018 | 34 |
| I-0376 | 26 |
| I-6000 | 25 |
| SR-0065 | 20 |
| SR-0224 | 18 |
| I-0079 | 17 |
| SR-0108 | 17 |
Ellwood City at a glance
| Population | 7,416 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 3,191 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 16117) | $73,045 |
| Median home value (ZIP 16117) | $148,690 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lawrence 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 | 37 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 38 | +2% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 27 | -29% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 34 | +23% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 37 a year in the 1990s and 34 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ellwood City
How many truck crashes happen in Ellwood City?
Since 2015, 385 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lawrence County (168 injured, 12 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Ellwood City?
I-76 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ellwood City since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ellwood City?
The worst month is April: 9.9% of truck crashes in Lawrence County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ellwood City?
Garbage trucks were involved in 23 reported crashes in Lawrence County since 2015 (6.0% of truck crashes).
How does Ellwood City compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Lawrence County records 39.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Ellwood City?
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.