Luzerne County, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Luzerne 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
3.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Luzerne County compares with Pennsylvania
Luzerne County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Luzerne County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 74.6 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 17% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.4% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.9% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.8% | 19.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.9% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Luzerne County sits below Pennsylvania on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
The headline for Luzerne County: December garbage-truck crashes peak in December (17% of the year's total).
Overview
Police reported 2,881 crashes involving commercial trucks in Luzerne County since 2015: 1,313 people were injured and 56 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 10.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Luzerne County is I-80, with 10 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-81 (6), SR-2007 (2) and SR-924 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 82 of the truck crashes here, or 2.8%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (17% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.7, vs 2.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Luzerne County fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 10.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Pennsylvania; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Luzerne County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Luzerne County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 10 |
| I-81 | 6 |
| SR-2007 | 2 |
| SR-924 | 2 |
| SR-93 | 2 |
| US-11 | 2 |
| CR-DEMUNDS Rd | 1 |
| SR-0115 | 1 |
| SR-0239 | 1 |
| SR-1044 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Luzerne County) |
|---|---|
| I-0081 | 818 |
| I-0080 | 562 |
| SR-0309 | 167 |
| I-7476 | 113 |
| SR-0315 | 104 |
| SR-0093 | 95 |
| SR-0924 | 86 |
| SR-0011 | 75 |
Luzerne County at a glance
| Population | 331,379 |
| Land area | 889.8 sq mi |
| Density | 372 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $67,292 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Luzerne 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 | 147 | — | 4.4 |
| 2000s | 194 | +32% | 4.6 |
| 2010s | 182 | -6% | 3.2 |
| 2020s | 257 | +41% | 3.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 147 a year in the 1990s and 257 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Luzerne County
ZIP codes in Luzerne County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Luzerne County
How many truck accidents are there in Luzerne County?
Luzerne County has had 2,881 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,313 people and killing 56.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Luzerne County?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Luzerne County: 10.
When do most truck crashes happen in Luzerne County?
Truck crashes in Luzerne County peak in December, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Luzerne County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 82 reported crashes in Luzerne County since 2015 (2.8% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Luzerne County compare with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 74.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Luzerne County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Luzerne County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.