Palmer, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Palmer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Palmer and Northampton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Northampton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Northampton County compares with Pennsylvania
Northampton County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Northampton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Northampton County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.5 | 57.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 35% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.9% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 46% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 24.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.9% | 19.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 24.2% | 24.2% | 24.8% | same |
Northampton County has lower values than Pennsylvania for deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Palmer: SR-33 6 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Palmer.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,134 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Northampton County. They injured 1,038 people and killed 35.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
With 111 truck crashes reported in Palmer since 2015, this page uses Northampton County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 38.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 7.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Where crashes happen
SR-33 leads within 10 miles of Palmer with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-78 (5), US-22 (4) and SR-0033 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 75 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in November (13%).
They recorded 2.8 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Palmer fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-33; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Northampton County.
- 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 Northampton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-33 | 6 |
| I-78 | 5 |
| US-22 | 4 |
| SR-0033 | 1 |
| SR-0121 | 1 |
| SR-0512 | 1 |
| SR-1002 | 1 |
| SR-1011 | 1 |
| SR-2018 | 1 |
| SR-248 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Northampton County) |
|---|---|
| I-0078 | 473 |
| SR-0033 | 216 |
| SR-0022 | 178 |
| SR-0512 | 167 |
| SR-0248 | 107 |
| SR-0191 | 49 |
| SR-0611 | 47 |
| SR-1002 | 41 |
Palmer at a glance
| Population | 22,606 |
| Land area | 10.3 sq mi |
| Density | 2,204 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 18045) | $114,528 |
| Median home value (ZIP 18045) | $337,020 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Northampton 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 | 97 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 116 | +20% | 3.4 |
| 2010s | 132 | +13% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 206 | +56% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 97 a year in the 1990s and 206 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Palmer
How many truck accidents are there in Palmer?
Northampton County has had 2,134 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,038 people and killing 35.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Palmer?
Since 2015, SR-33 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Palmer: 6.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Palmer?
August has the most truck crashes in Northampton County, 10.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Palmer?
Garbage trucks were involved in 75 reported crashes in Northampton County since 2015 (3.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Palmer compare with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 56.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Northampton County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Palmer?
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.