ZIP 01561 (South Lancaster, MA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 01561: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Worcester County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Worcester County compares with Massachusetts
Worcester County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Worcester County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Worcester County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.7 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 23% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.3% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 27.3% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.7% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.8% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Massachusetts, Worcester County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Massachusetts on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for ZIP 01561: SR-12 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 01561.
Overview
Worcester County has recorded 3,757 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,623 people injured and 63 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.4% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.7% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
9.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.6% across Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 01561 is SR-12, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-190 (2), Littleton Rd (1) and Paul Tivnan Drive (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
148 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.9% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.5, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 01561 fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-12, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 9.3% of truck crashes here, more than Massachusetts; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Worcester County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-12 | 3 |
| I-190 | 2 |
| Littleton Rd | 1 |
| Paul Tivnan Drive | 1 |
| SR-110 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Worcester County) |
|---|---|
| Main St | 54 |
| Cambridge St | 49 |
| Hammond St | 26 |
| Southwest Cutoff | 26 |
| Turnpike Rd | 23 |
| Webster St | 19 |
| E Main St | 13 |
| Southbridge St | 12 |
ZIP 01561 at a glance
| Population | 0 |
| Density | 0 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Worcester 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 | 76 | — | 6.7 |
| 2000s | 220 | +190% | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 295 | +34% | 5.3 |
| 2020s | 352 | +19% | 4.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 76 a year in the 1990s and 352 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 5.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 01561
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 01561?
Since 2015, 3,757 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Worcester County (1,623 injured, 63 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 01561?
NHTSA data shows SR-12 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 01561 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 01561?
Truck crashes in Worcester County peak in August, with 9.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 01561?
Garbage trucks were involved in 148 reported crashes in Worcester County since 2015 (3.9% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 01561 compare with Massachusetts for truck crashes?
Worcester County records 35.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 01561?
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.