ZIP 01844 (Methuen, MA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 01844: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Essex 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
0.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Essex County compares with Massachusetts
Essex County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Essex County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Essex County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 18.6 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 19% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.7% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.6% | 6.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.8% | 27.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.6% | 13.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.3% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.9% | 19.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Massachusetts, Essex County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr and deaths per 100 crashes. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Essex County: 1 in 13 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 7.7%, vs 5.3% in Massachusetts.
Overview
Police reported 1,776 crashes involving commercial trucks in Essex County since 2015: 816 people were injured and 33 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (10.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.8%).
November through March accounts for 43.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in Massachusetts.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 6.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Massachusetts: 6.6%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 01844 since 2015 were spread across roads: I-495 (4), SR-110 (4), I-93 (3), SR-125 (3) and Bridge St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
137 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 7.7% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (12%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.8, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 01844 fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Essex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 4 |
| SR-110 | 4 |
| I-93 | 3 |
| SR-125 | 3 |
| Bridge St | 1 |
| Broadway Rd | 1 |
| Elm St | 1 |
| Route 110 | 1 |
| SR-121A | 1 |
| SR-128 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Essex County) |
|---|---|
| Rte 495 | 23 |
| Rte 1 | 17 |
| Broadway | 12 |
| Main St | 12 |
| Rte 95 | 11 |
| Lowell St | 7 |
| Washington St | 7 |
| Rte 495 S X 97A | 6 |
ZIP 01844 at a glance
| Population | 53,420 |
| Density | 933 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $113,212 |
| Median home value | $500,102 |
| Home ownership | 72% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Essex 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 | 40 | — | 3.4 |
| 2000s | 112 | +183% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 158 | +42% | 2.8 |
| 2020s | 159 | +1% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 40 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 159. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 01844
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 01844?
Essex County has had 1,776 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 816 people and killing 33.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 01844?
December has the most truck crashes in Essex County, 10.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 01844?
Since 2015, Essex County has reported 137 garbage-truck crashes, or 7.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 01844 compare with Massachusetts?
The yearly rate is 18.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Essex County, vs 22.9 for Massachusetts.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 01844?
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.