ZIP 12037 (Chatham, NY) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 12037: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Columbia 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
9 of 366 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Columbia County compares with New York State
Columbia County against New York State and the US, 2015–2022 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Columbia County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Columbia County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.0 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 2.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 33% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 31% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.5% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.5% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.0% | 41.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 16.5% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 26% below the state |
Columbia County sits below New York on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Columbia County: 16.5% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.4% in New York.
Overview
Police reported 366 crashes involving commercial trucks in Columbia County since 2015: 184 people were injured and 12 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 9 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (11.2% of the year) and are lowest in May (4.9%).
November through March accounts for 46.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.8% in New York.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (9.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 16.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.4% in New York.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 12037 happened on I-90 (3) and SR-22 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 9 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 3.6% in New York.
Route planning tips for ZIP 12037 fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Columbia County.
- 16.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New York; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2023, 2024 and 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Columbia County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| SR-22 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Columbia County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 2 |
| Crawford Ln | 1 |
| Other | 1 |
| Rte 66 | 1 |
| Rte 9H 23 | 1 |
ZIP 12037 at a glance
| Population | 3,926 |
| Density | 42 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $89,844 |
| Median home value | $353,619 |
| Home ownership | 72% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Columbia 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 | 23 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 28 | +21% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 37 | +32% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 37 | +2% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 23 to 37. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 12037
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 12037?
366 truck crashes have been reported in Columbia County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 184 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 12037?
December has the most truck crashes in Columbia County, 11.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 12037?
9 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Columbia County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 12037 compare with New York?
The yearly rate is 68.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Columbia County, vs 28.0 for New York.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 12037?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2023, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.