Bear Creek, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bear Creek: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bear Creek and Luzerne County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Luzerne County numbers.
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 has lower values than Pennsylvania for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
Luzerne County at a glance: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 17% of them.
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.
With 71 truck crashes reported in Bear Creek since 2015, this page uses Luzerne County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 9.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.0%.
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.4%).
10.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Bear Creek is I-80, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-2007 (2), I-476 (1) and I-81 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
82 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.8% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
Their busiest month is December, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.7, vs 2.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Bear Creek fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- With 10.4% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Pennsylvania), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Luzerne County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 3 |
| SR-2007 | 2 |
| I-476 | 1 |
| I-81 | 1 |
| SR-0115 | 1 |
| SR-115 | 1 |
| SR-2004 | 1 |
| SR-437 | 1 |
| Ssr-2007 E Northampton St | 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 |
Bear Creek at a glance
| Population | 2,809 |
| Land area | 67.1 sq mi |
| Density | 42 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 18602) | $160,962 |
| Median home value (ZIP 18602) | $399,826 |
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. NHTSA counts 2.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bear Creek
How common are truck crashes in Bear Creek?
2,881 truck crashes have been reported in Luzerne County since 2015, with 56 deaths and 1,313 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Bear Creek?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Bear Creek since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Bear Creek?
Truck crashes in Luzerne County peak in December, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bear Creek?
82 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Luzerne County since 2015, 2.8% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Bear Creek compare with Pennsylvania?
Per 100,000 residents, Luzerne County has 74.6 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Bear Creek?
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.