ZIP 01863 (North Chelmsford, MA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 01863: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Middlesex 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
1.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Middlesex County compares with Massachusetts
Middlesex County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Middlesex County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.2 | 22.9 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.7% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.2% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 7% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.4% | 27.3% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.8% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.5% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Middlesex County has lower values than Massachusetts for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
ZIP 01863 at a glance: I-495 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 01863: 6 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Middlesex County. They injured 1,863 people and killed 73.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.5% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.4% of truck crashes, vs 41.9% for Massachusetts.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.1%).
Road surface: 6.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Massachusetts: 6.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 01863 is I-495, with 6 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-110 (2), SR-111 (2) and Allds Street (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 255 of the truck crashes here, or 5.7%, compared with 5.3% in Massachusetts.
Their busiest month is November, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 1.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 01863 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-495 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in November; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.4% of truck crashes here, more than Massachusetts; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Middlesex County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-495 | 6 |
| SR-110 | 2 |
| SR-111 | 2 |
| Allds Street | 1 |
| Bridge St | 1 |
| Broadway Rd | 1 |
| Daniel Webster Hwy | 1 |
| Littleton Rd | 1 |
| Route 110 | 1 |
| SR-128 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Middlesex County) |
|---|---|
| Main St | 52 |
| Rte 495 | 24 |
| Washington St | 19 |
| Ballardvale St | 19 |
| Main Street | 16 |
| Boston Post Rd | 16 |
| Rte 90 E X 123 | 15 |
| Lowell St | 13 |
ZIP 01863 at a glance
| Population | 9,796 |
| Density | 849 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $144,875 |
| Median home value | $493,511 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Middlesex 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 | 107 | — | 5.5 |
| 2000s | 284 | +165% | 4.7 |
| 2010s | 398 | +40% | 4.5 |
| 2020s | 406 | +2% | 7.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 107 to 406. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 7.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 01863
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 01863?
Since 2015, 4,505 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Middlesex County (1,863 injured, 73 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 01863?
Since 2015, I-495 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 01863: 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 01863?
Truck crashes in Middlesex County peak in January, with 9.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 01863?
255 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Middlesex County since 2015, 5.7% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 01863 compared with Massachusetts?
The yearly rate is 23.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Middlesex County, vs 22.9 for Massachusetts.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 01863?
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.