North Whitehall, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in North Whitehall: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in North Whitehall and Lehigh County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lehigh County numbers.
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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
North Whitehall at a glance: I-78 7 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of North Whitehall.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,737 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lehigh County. They injured 1,632 people and killed 85.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 104 truck crashes reported in North Whitehall since 2015, this page uses Lehigh County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in November (7.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.5% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-78 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). It is followed by US-222 (6), US-22 (3) and I-476 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 114 crashes, 3.1% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Their busiest month is September, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.5 deaths compared with 2.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for North Whitehall fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lehigh County.
- Check whether your routes use I-78, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Lehigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-78 | 7 |
| US-222 | 6 |
| US-22 | 3 |
| I-476 | 2 |
| SR-145 | 2 |
| Schantz Rd | 2 |
| Mu-American Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-0248 | 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 |
North Whitehall at a glance
| Population | 16,057 |
| Land area | 28.1 sq mi |
| Density | 571 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 18037) | $83,542 |
| Median home value (ZIP 18037) | $260,816 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 170 to 323. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.0 a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about North Whitehall
How common are truck crashes in North Whitehall?
3,737 truck crashes have been reported in Lehigh County since 2015, with 85 deaths and 1,632 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in North Whitehall?
NHTSA data shows I-78 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of North Whitehall since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in North Whitehall?
Truck crashes in Lehigh County peak in October, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in North Whitehall?
114 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lehigh County since 2015, 3.1% of all truck crashes.
How does North Whitehall 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.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in North Whitehall?
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.