ZIP 02142 (Cambridge, MA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 02142: 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 |
Compared with Massachusetts, Middlesex County is lower on 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 02142 at a glance: I-93 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 02142 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.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 9.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.9%.
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in Massachusetts.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.1%).
6.2% 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 02142 is I-93, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-2A (4), Washington St (4) and SR-16 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 255 crashes, 5.7% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Their busiest month is November, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.2, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 02142 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-93; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Middlesex County.
- 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-93 | 5 |
| SR-2A | 4 |
| Washington St | 4 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| SR-28 | 3 |
| Cambridge St | 2 |
| Common St | 2 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| I-95 | 2 |
| Massachusetts Ave | 2 |
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 02142 at a glance
| Population | 4,737 |
| Density | 5,830 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $147,723 |
| Median home value | $1,915,541 |
| Home ownership | 7% |
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 |
In the 1990s about 107 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 406. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.2 a year in 2016–19, 7.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 02142
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 02142?
4,505 truck crashes have been reported in Middlesex County since 2015, with 73 deaths and 1,863 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 02142?
Since 2015, I-93 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 02142: 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 02142?
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 02142?
Since 2015, Middlesex County has reported 255 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 02142 compare with Massachusetts?
The yearly rate is 23.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Middlesex County, vs 22.9 for Massachusetts.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 02142?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.