Mercer County, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mercer 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Mercer County compares with Pennsylvania
Mercer County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mercer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mercer County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 88.3 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 26.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 2.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.2% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 32.9% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 28.4% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Mercer County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Mercer County: 26.5% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Overview
Mercer County has recorded 1,176 truck crashes since 2015, with 547 people injured and 29 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 15.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.9%.
November through March accounts for 49.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 6.6% of truck crashes.
26.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). After it: US-19 (3), US-62 (2) and I-79 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
41 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.5% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
Their busiest month is May, with 20% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Mercer County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 26.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Pennsylvania), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Mercer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Mercer County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 7 |
| US-19 | 3 |
| US-62 | 2 |
| I-79 | 1 |
| SR-0173 | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-4020 | 1 |
| SR-718 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mercer County) |
|---|---|
| I-0080 | 581 |
| I-0079 | 90 |
| SR-0018 | 52 |
| Z H Confair Hw | 50 |
| SR-0019 | 36 |
| SR-0058 | 33 |
| SR-0062 | 31 |
| SR-0173 | 23 |
Mercer County at a glance
| Population | 108,140 |
| Land area | 672.5 sq mi |
| Density | 161 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $63,069 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mercer 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 | 87 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 88 | +1% | 3.1 |
| 2010s | 80 | -9% | 2.3 |
| 2020s | 93 | +16% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 87 a year in the 1990s and 93 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Mercer County
ZIP codes in Mercer County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Mercer County
How many truck crashes happen in Mercer County?
1,176 truck crashes have been reported in Mercer County since 2015, with 29 deaths and 547 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Mercer County?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes in Mercer County since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Mercer County?
The worst month is January: 15.1% of truck crashes in Mercer County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Mercer County?
41 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Mercer County since 2015, 3.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Mercer County compare with Pennsylvania?
Mercer County records 88.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Mercer County?
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.