Washington Township, Lehigh County, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Washington Township, Lehigh County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Washington Township, Lehigh County 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 |
Lehigh County has lower values than Pennsylvania for 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.
Lehigh County at a glance: 4.5% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Overview
Since 2015, 3,737 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lehigh County. They injured 1,632 people and killed 85.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Washington Township, Lehigh County had 79 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lehigh County numbers.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
November through March accounts for 39.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Washington happened on I-476 (2), SR-309 (2), SR-0248 (1), SR-1045 (1) and SR-145 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 114 crashes, 3.1% of the total, against 3.6% across 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 Washington Township, Lehigh County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Lehigh County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Lehigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-476 | 2 |
| SR-309 | 2 |
| SR-0248 | 1 |
| SR-1045 | 1 |
| SR-145 | 1 |
| SR-146 | 1 |
| SR-248 | 1 |
| SR-3019 | 1 |
| SR-443 | 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 |
Washington Township, Lehigh County at a glance
| Population | 6,682 |
| Land area | 23.6 sq mi |
| Density | 284 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 18080) | $74,522 |
| Median home value (ZIP 18080) | $265,503 |
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. NHTSA counts 4.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Washington Township, Lehigh County
How many truck crashes happen in Washington Township, Lehigh County?
3,737 truck crashes have been reported in Lehigh County since 2015, with 85 deaths and 1,632 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Washington Township, 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 Washington Township, Lehigh County?
114 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lehigh County since 2015, 3.1% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Washington Township, Lehigh County compare with Pennsylvania?
Lehigh County records 83.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Washington Township, 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.