Laboratory, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Laboratory: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Laboratory 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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
Laboratory at a glance: I-70 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Laboratory: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Washington County has recorded 1,982 truck crashes since 2015, with 862 people injured and 38 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
Laboratory had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Washington County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.9% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (6.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 9.0% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-70 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). After it: I-79 (5), SR-136 (2) and Galley Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 50 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (16% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.3, vs 2.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Laboratory fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-70 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 | 7 |
| I-79 | 5 |
| SR-136 | 2 |
| Galley Rd | 1 |
| SR-1023 | 1 |
| SR-19 | 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 |
Laboratory at a glance
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 15301) | $70,473 |
| Median home value (ZIP 15301) | $202,048 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 127 to 147. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Laboratory
How common are truck crashes in Laboratory?
1,982 truck crashes have been reported in Washington County since 2015, with 38 deaths and 862 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Laboratory?
NHTSA data shows I-70 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Laboratory since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Laboratory?
January has the most truck crashes in Washington County, 10.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Laboratory?
Since 2015, Washington County has reported 50 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Laboratory compared 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 Laboratory?
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.