ZIP 08540 (Princeton, NJ) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 08540: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Mercer 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Mercer County compares with New Jersey
Mercer County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mercer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mercer County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.1 | 56.6 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.59 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.5% | 3.3% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 26.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.6% | 13.7% | 13.8% | 8% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.9% | 19.9% | 24.8% | same |
Mercer County sits below New Jersey on in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above New Jersey on deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in ZIP 08540: US-1 9 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 08540.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,481 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Mercer County. They injured 1,446 people and killed 51.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.2% of the year) and are lowest in June (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in New Jersey.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Jersey: 3.3%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 08540 is US-1, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-95 (4), US-130 (3) and CR-522 Ridge Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 93 crashes, 3.7% of the total, against 3.6% across New Jersey.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (14%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 2.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 08540 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mercer County.
- Check whether your routes use US-1, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Mercer County.
- 28.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New Jersey; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Mercer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-1 | 9 |
| I-95 | 4 |
| US-130 | 3 |
| CR-522 Ridge Rd | 1 |
| CR-571 Washington Rd | 1 |
| CR-614 | 1 |
| Corn Rd | 1 |
| I-295 | 1 |
| Old Stage Rd | 1 |
| SR-27 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mercer County) |
|---|---|
| I-95, N.J. Turnpike | 348 |
| US-1 | 281 |
| I-295 | 149 |
| I-195 | 130 |
| US-130 | 106 |
| Nj 31 | 102 |
| Nj 29 | 71 |
| US-206 | 70 |
ZIP 08540 at a glance
| Population | 50,388 |
| Density | 376 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $176,983 |
| Median home value | $767,683 |
| Home ownership | 64% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mercer 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 | 127 | — | 3.2 |
| 2000s | 302 | +137% | 4.3 |
| 2010s | 241 | -20% | 3.6 |
| 2020s | 201 | -16% | 3.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 127 to 201. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.0 a year in 2016–19 and 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 08540
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 08540?
Mercer County has had 2,481 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,446 people and killing 51.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 08540?
US-1 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 08540 since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 08540?
October has the most truck crashes in Mercer County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 08540?
Since 2015, Mercer County has reported 93 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.7% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 08540 compare with New Jersey for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 54.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Mercer County, vs 56.6 for New Jersey.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 08540?
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.