West Bethlehem, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in West Bethlehem: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in West Bethlehem 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 runs above Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
West Bethlehem at a glance: I-79 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of West Bethlehem: 3 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,982 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Washington County. They injured 862 people and killed 38.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
West Bethlehem had 2 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.
Road surface: 9.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-79 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by I-70 (2), US-40 (2) and SR-19 (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 West Bethlehem fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-79 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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-79 | 3 |
| I-70 | 2 |
| US-40 | 2 |
| SR-19 | 1 |
| US-19 | 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 |
West Bethlehem at a glance
| Population | 1,272 |
| Land area | 22.4 sq mi |
| Density | 57 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 15345) | $59,375 |
| Median home value (ZIP 15345) | $154,319 |
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. NHTSA counts 3.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about West Bethlehem
How common are truck crashes in West Bethlehem?
Washington County has had 1,982 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 862 people and killing 38.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in West Bethlehem?
I-79 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of West Bethlehem since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in West Bethlehem?
Truck crashes in Washington County peak in January, with 10.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in West Bethlehem?
Since 2015, Washington County has reported 50 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in West Bethlehem compare with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 80.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Washington County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in West Bethlehem?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.