Essex, VT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Essex: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Essex and Chittenden County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chittenden County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 379 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chittenden County compares with Vermont
Chittenden County against Vermont and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chittenden County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chittenden County | Vermont | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 19.4 | 28.2 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 86% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.40 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 3.3% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.9% | 23.6% | 6.2% | 33% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.8% | 27.9% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.6% | 26.7% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.0% | 50.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.6% | 17.6% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Vermont, Chittenden County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Chittenden County at a glance: 0.5 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.6 in Vermont.
Overview
Chittenden County has recorded 379 truck crashes since 2015, with 163 people injured and 3 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
Essex had 27 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Chittenden County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (5.3%).
November through March accounts for 47.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 50.2% in Vermont.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 12.2% of truck crashes.
15.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 23.6% across Vermont.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Essex since 2015 were spread across roads: I-89 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 16 crashes, 4.2% of the total, against 3.3% across Vermont.
Route planning tips for Essex fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Chittenden County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-89 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chittenden County) |
|---|---|
| I-89 | 23 |
| Williston Rd | 3 |
| E Allen St, Exit 15 | 2 |
| I 89 S, Exit 18 | 2 |
| I-89 N Mm 98.5 | 2 |
| I-89 N, Mm 79.6 | 2 |
| I-89 South, 1-89 | 2 |
| Malletts Bay Ave, Pine St | 2 |
Essex at a glance
| Population | 11,497 |
| Land area | 34.3 sq mi |
| Density | 335 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 05452) | $101,349 |
| Median home value (ZIP 05452) | $432,973 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chittenden 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 | 12 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 24 | +103% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 35 | +48% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 28 | -19% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 28 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Essex
How common are truck crashes in Essex?
Since 2015, 379 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Chittenden County (163 injured, 3 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Essex?
January has the most truck crashes in Chittenden County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Essex?
Since 2015, Chittenden County has reported 16 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Essex compare with Vermont?
The yearly rate is 19.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Chittenden County, vs 28.2 for Vermont.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Essex?
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.