French Creek, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in French Creek: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in French Creek and Mercer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Mercer County numbers.
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 |
Mercer County sits below Pennsylvania on deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in 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.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 3 truck crashes were reported in French Creek since 2015; patterns below come from Mercer County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (15.1% of the year) and are lowest in March (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, US-322 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). Next come I-79 (1), SR-285 (1) and US-19 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 41 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in May (20%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for French Creek fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mercer County.
- Check whether your routes use US-322, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- 26.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Pennsylvania; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Mercer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-322 | 2 |
| I-79 | 1 |
| SR-285 | 1 |
| US-19 | 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 |
French Creek at a glance
| Population | 698 |
| Land area | 20.7 sq mi |
| Density | 34 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 16311) | $70,938 |
| Median home value (ZIP 16311) | $139,052 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 87 to 93. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about French Creek
How many truck accidents are there in French Creek?
Mercer County has had 1,176 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 547 people and killing 29.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in French Creek?
NHTSA data shows US-322 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of French Creek since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in French Creek?
Truck crashes in Mercer County peak in January, with 15.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in French Creek?
41 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Mercer County since 2015, 3.5% of all truck crashes.
How does French Creek compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Mercer County has 88.3 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in French 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.