Elco, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elco: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elco and Washington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Washington County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Washington County compares with Pennsylvania
Washington County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Washington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Washington County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 80.1 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 31% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.0% | 9.1% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.5% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 8% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.6% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.8% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Washington County sits below Pennsylvania on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
The headline for Elco: I-70 deadliest road: 8 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Elco since 2015.
Overview
Washington County has recorded 1,982 truck crashes since 2015, with 862 people injured and 38 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Elco since 2015, this page uses Washington County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (10.9% of the year) and are lowest in November (6.8%).
November through March accounts for 41.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.3% of truck crashes.
9.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-70 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (8). It is followed by SR-51 (4), I-43 (1) and National Pike (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 50 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Their busiest month is January, with 16% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 4.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Elco fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Washington County.
- Check whether your routes use I-70, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: January is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Washington County.
- 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 Washington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 8 |
| SR-51 | 4 |
| I-43 | 1 |
| National Pike | 1 |
| SR-4006 | 1 |
| US-40 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Washington County) |
|---|---|
| I-0070 | 835 |
| I-0079 | 253 |
| SR-0018 | 94 |
| SR-0019 | 56 |
| SR-0040 | 45 |
| SR-0022 | 43 |
| SR-0088 | 33 |
| SR-0519 | 33 |
Elco at a glance
| Population | 257 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 921 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 15434) | $83,224 |
| Median home value (ZIP 15434) | $165,261 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Washington 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 | 127 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 115 | -9% | 3.4 |
| 2010s | 153 | +33% | 2.9 |
| 2020s | 147 | -4% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 127 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 147. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elco
How many truck crashes happen in Elco?
1,982 truck crashes have been reported in Washington County since 2015, with 38 deaths and 862 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Elco?
I-70 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Elco since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Elco?
The worst month is January: 10.9% of truck crashes in Washington County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elco?
Garbage trucks were involved in 50 reported crashes in Washington County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Elco compare with Pennsylvania?
Washington County records 80.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Elco?
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.