Pittston, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pittston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Pittston 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.
The headline for Luzerne County: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 17% of them.
Overview
Luzerne County has recorded 2,881 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,313 people injured and 56 killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 197 truck crashes reported in Pittston since 2015, this page uses Luzerne County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.0% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 7.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.4% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
I-81 leads within 10 miles of Pittston with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-2007 (2), CR-DEMUNDS Rd (1) and SR-1044 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 82 of the truck crashes here, or 2.8%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (17%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.7, vs 2.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Pittston fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-81, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 10.4% of truck crashes here, more than Pennsylvania; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 7 |
| SR-2007 | 2 |
| CR-DEMUNDS Rd | 1 |
| SR-1044 | 1 |
| SR-2004 | 1 |
| SR-3011 | 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 |
Pittston at a glance
| Population | 7,743 |
| Land area | 1.5 sq mi |
| Density | 5,061 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 18642) | $61,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 18642) | $160,923 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 147 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 257. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. 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 Pittston
How common are truck crashes in Pittston?
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 Pittston?
NHTSA data shows I-81 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Pittston since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Pittston?
Truck crashes in Luzerne County peak in December, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Pittston?
Since 2015, Luzerne County has reported 82 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.8% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Pittston compared with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 74.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Luzerne County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Pittston?
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.