Salem Township, Luzerne County, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Salem Township, Luzerne County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Salem Township, Luzerne County 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 |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Luzerne County is lower 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 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.
Only 9 truck crashes were reported in Salem Township, Luzerne County since 2015; patterns below come from Luzerne County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (9.3% of the year) and are lowest in November (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.
Road surface: 10.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). It is followed by US-11 (2), I-81 (1) and SR-0239 (1).
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).
They recorded 3.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Salem Township, Luzerne County fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-80 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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-80 | 5 |
| US-11 | 2 |
| I-81 | 1 |
| SR-0239 | 1 |
| SR-1025 | 1 |
| SR-93 | 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 |
Salem Township, Luzerne County at a glance
| Population | 4,086 |
| Land area | 28.7 sq mi |
| Density | 142 per sq mi |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Salem Township, Luzerne County
How many truck crashes happen in Salem Township, Luzerne County?
Since 2015, 2,881 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Luzerne County (1,313 injured, 56 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Salem Township, Luzerne County?
I-80 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Salem since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Salem Township, Luzerne County?
December has the most truck crashes in Luzerne County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Salem Township, 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 Salem Township, 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 Salem Township, 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.