ZIP 02538 (East Wareham, MA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 02538: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Plymouth 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
1.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Plymouth County compares with Massachusetts
Plymouth County against Massachusetts and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Plymouth County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Plymouth County | Massachusetts | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.2 | 22.9 | 49.7 | 25% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.9% | 5.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.7% | 6.6% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.6% | 27.3% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.1% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 8% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.3% | 41.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.2% | 19.2% | 24.8% | 10% below the state |
Plymouth County sits below Massachusetts on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Plymouth County at a glance: August more garbage-truck crashes happen in August than in any other month (15%).
Overview
Police reported 1,072 crashes involving commercial trucks in Plymouth County since 2015: 616 people were injured and 30 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (10.4% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.3% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across Massachusetts.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 9.3% of truck crashes.
3.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.6% across Massachusetts.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 02538 since 2015: I-195 (1), Oar And Line Rd (1), Rochester Rd (1), SR-130 (1) and SR-151 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 62 crashes, 5.8% of the total, against 5.3% across Massachusetts.
Their busiest month is August, with 15% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 1.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 02538 fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Plymouth County.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-195 | 1 |
| Oar And Line Rd | 1 |
| Rochester Rd | 1 |
| SR-130 | 1 |
| SR-151 | 1 |
| SR-25 | 1 |
| SR-28 | 1 |
| Sandwhich Rd | 1 |
| Tremont St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Plymouth County) |
|---|---|
| Bedford St | 14 |
| Main St | 12 |
| Main Street | 9 |
| Plymouth St | 8 |
| State Rd | 8 |
| Washington St | 7 |
| Pleasant St | 7 |
| Cranberry Hwy | 7 |
ZIP 02538 at a glance
| Population | 4,074 |
| Density | 251 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $123,750 |
| Median home value | $386,224 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Plymouth 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 | 20 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 91 | +347% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 120 | +32% | 2.6 |
| 2020s | 91 | -25% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 20 a year in the 1990s and 91 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 02538
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 02538?
Since 2015, 1,072 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Plymouth County (616 injured, 30 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 02538?
The worst month is May: 10.4% of truck crashes in Plymouth County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 02538?
62 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Plymouth County since 2015, 5.8% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 02538 compared with Massachusetts?
Plymouth County records 17.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 22.9 across Massachusetts.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 02538?
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.