ZIP 02494 (Needham Heights, MA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 02494: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Norfolk 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
1.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Norfolk County compares with Massachusetts
Norfolk County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Norfolk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Norfolk County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.4 | 22.9 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.8 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 10% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.5% | 5.3% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.1% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 38% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.5% | 27.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.5% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.9% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Norfolk County sits below Massachusetts on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
ZIP 02494 at a glance: 1.5× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of ZIP 02494 (3.5 → 5.4).
Overview
Police reported 2,034 crashes involving commercial trucks in Norfolk County since 2015: 980 people were injured and 38 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.9% in Massachusetts.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Massachusetts: 6.6%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 02494 since 2015: I-95 (4), SR-2A (4), I-90 (3), I-93 (3) and SR-28 (3). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
107 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.3% share (Massachusetts: 5.3%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.0 deaths compared with 1.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 02494 fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Norfolk County.
- 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 Norfolk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 4 |
| SR-2A | 4 |
| I-90 | 3 |
| I-93 | 3 |
| SR-28 | 3 |
| Washington St | 3 |
| Cambridge St | 2 |
| Massachusetts Ave | 2 |
| Putnam Ave | 2 |
| SR-138 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Norfolk County) |
|---|---|
| Washington St | 29 |
| Main St | 19 |
| Rte 95 | 18 |
| Granite St | 12 |
| East St | 12 |
| Rte 93 | 12 |
| Central St | 9 |
| Washington Street | 9 |
ZIP 02494 at a glance
| Population | 11,035 |
| Density | 1,521 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $179,720 |
| Median home value | $1,114,910 |
| Home ownership | 72% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Norfolk 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 | 72 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 160 | +124% | 3.5 |
| 2010s | 200 | +25% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 178 | -11% | 3.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 72 to 178. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 02494
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 02494?
Since 2015, 2,034 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Norfolk County (980 injured, 38 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 02494?
The worst month is June: 9.5% of truck crashes in Norfolk County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 02494?
Since 2015, Norfolk County has reported 107 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.3% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 02494 compare with Massachusetts?
Norfolk County records 23.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 02494?
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.