Lehigh County, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lehigh County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lehigh County compares with Pennsylvania
Lehigh County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lehigh County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lehigh County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 83.0 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 14% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.1% | 24.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.8% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.5% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 7% below the state |
| After dark | 26.1% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Lehigh County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
What stands out in Lehigh County: I-78 most fatal truck crashes in Lehigh County: 12 since 2015.
Overview
Lehigh County has recorded 3,737 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,632 people injured and 85 killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.5% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (7.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Lehigh County is I-78, with 12 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-222 (10), I-476 (4) and SR-309 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 114 of the truck crashes here, or 3.1%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (11%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 5.5, vs 2.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Lehigh County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-78 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Lehigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Lehigh County) |
|---|---|
| I-78 | 12 |
| US-222 | 10 |
| I-476 | 4 |
| SR-309 | 3 |
| US-22 | 3 |
| SR-145 | 2 |
| Schantz Rd | 2 |
| Mu-American Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-1045 | 1 |
| SR-146 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lehigh County) |
|---|---|
| I-0078 | 880 |
| I-7476 | 412 |
| SR-0022 | 400 |
| SR-0309 | 234 |
| SR-0222 | 190 |
| SR-0100 | 152 |
| SR-0145 | 120 |
| SR-1002 | 79 |
Lehigh County at a glance
| Population | 385,655 |
| Land area | 345.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,117 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $84,600 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lehigh 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 | 170 | — | 4.9 |
| 2000s | 236 | +39% | 4.6 |
| 2010s | 256 | +8% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 323 | +26% | 4.2 |
In the 1990s about 170 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 323. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 4.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Lehigh County
ZIP codes in Lehigh County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Lehigh County
How common are truck crashes in Lehigh County?
Since 2015, 3,737 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lehigh County (1,632 injured, 85 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Lehigh County?
NHTSA data shows I-78 with 12 fatal large-truck crashes in Lehigh County since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Lehigh County?
October has the most truck crashes in Lehigh County, 9.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Lehigh County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 114 reported crashes in Lehigh County since 2015 (3.1% of truck crashes).
How does Lehigh County compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 83.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lehigh County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lehigh County?
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.