Cook, PA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cook: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cook and Westmoreland County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Westmoreland County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Westmoreland County compares with Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Westmoreland County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Westmoreland County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 58.7 | 57.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.3% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 9% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.1% | 24.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.8% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.5% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.9% | 24.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County is lower on injuries per crash, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
The headline for Westmoreland County: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 16% of them.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,418 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Westmoreland County. They injured 1,010 people and killed 56.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
Only 48 truck crashes were reported in Cook since 2015; patterns below come from Westmoreland County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (6.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.5% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-76 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). After it: SR-31 (2), SR-711 (2) and I-70 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 91 crashes, 3.8% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (16% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.2 deaths compared with 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Cook fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-76 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Westmoreland County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-76 | 7 |
| SR-31 | 2 |
| SR-711 | 2 |
| I-70 | 1 |
| US-30 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Westmoreland County) |
|---|---|
| I-6000 | 518 |
| I-0070 | 348 |
| SR-0022 | 261 |
| SR-0030 | 192 |
| SR-0066 | 101 |
| SR-0119 | 85 |
| SR-0031 | 68 |
| SR-0051 | 48 |
Cook at a glance
| Population | 1,852 |
| Land area | 46.8 sq mi |
| Density | 40 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 15687) | $54,798 |
| Median home value (ZIP 15687) | $190,407 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Westmoreland 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 | 193 | — | 5.5 |
| 2000s | 197 | +2% | 5.0 |
| 2010s | 170 | -14% | 4.8 |
| 2020s | 201 | +19% | 4.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 193 a year in the 1990s and 201 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.5 a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cook
How common are truck crashes in Cook?
2,418 truck crashes have been reported in Westmoreland County since 2015, with 56 deaths and 1,010 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Cook?
Since 2015, I-76 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cook: 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cook?
Truck crashes in Westmoreland County peak in January, with 9.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cook?
Garbage trucks were involved in 91 reported crashes in Westmoreland County since 2015 (3.8% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Cook compare with Pennsylvania?
Westmoreland County records 58.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cook?
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.