ZIP 08731 (Forked River, NJ) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 08731: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Ocean 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
3.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Ocean County compares with New Jersey
Ocean County against New Jersey and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ocean County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ocean County | New Jersey | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 27.2 | 56.6 | 49.7 | 52% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.67 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 3.3% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.1% | 26.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.6% | 13.7% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.4% | 40.9% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 13.0% | 19.9% | 24.8% | 35% below the state |
Ocean County has lower values than New Jersey for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Ocean County: 1 in 15 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 6.5%, vs 3.6% in New Jersey.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,142 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ocean County. They injured 1,416 people and killed 52.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 10.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.4% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across New Jersey.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
1.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.3% across New Jersey.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 08731 happened on Gsp-444 (2), SR-72 (2), 444-Garden State Parkway (1), CR-527 Lakehurst Rd (1) and CR-539 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 140 of the truck crashes here, or 6.5%, compared with 3.6% in New Jersey.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (11% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.8 deaths compared with 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 08731 fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Ocean County.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Ocean County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Gsp-444 | 2 |
| SR-72 | 2 |
| 444-Garden State Parkway | 1 |
| CR-527 Lakehurst Rd | 1 |
| CR-539 | 1 |
| CR-539 Whiting Rd | 1 |
| CR-571 | 1 |
| CR-614 Lacey Rd | 1 |
| SR-37 | 1 |
| SR-70 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ocean County) |
|---|---|
| US-9 | 233 |
| Garden State Parkway | 188 |
| Nj 70 | 131 |
| SR-528 | 79 |
| Nj 72 | 65 |
| Nj 37 | 64 |
| SR-571 | 63 |
| SR-539 | 60 |
ZIP 08731 at a glance
| Population | 21,629 |
| Density | 107 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $98,582 |
| Median home value | $404,837 |
| Home ownership | 87% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ocean 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 | 46 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 223 | +386% | 3.6 |
| 2010s | 184 | -17% | 3.2 |
| 2020s | 180 | -2% | 3.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 46 a year in the 1990s and 180 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 08731
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 08731?
2,142 truck crashes have been reported in Ocean County since 2015, with 52 deaths and 1,416 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 08731?
Truck crashes in Ocean County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 08731?
140 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Ocean County since 2015, 6.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 08731 compare with New Jersey?
The yearly rate is 27.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Ocean County, vs 56.6 for New Jersey.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 08731?
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.