ZIP 12121 (Melrose, NY) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 12121: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Rensselaer 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
20 of 608 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rensselaer County compares with New York State
Rensselaer County against New York State and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rensselaer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rensselaer County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.4 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 37% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 9% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.3% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.9% | 25.1% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.2% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.7% | 41.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.6% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Rensselaer County sits below New York on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above New York on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Rensselaer County: +89% yearly reported truck crashes went from 30 in the 2000s to 57 in the 2010s.
Overview
Rensselaer County has recorded 608 truck crashes since 2015, with 282 people injured and 11 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 10.7% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (6.1%).
November through March accounts for 41.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.8% in New York.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 11.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New York: 9.4%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 12121 happened on SR-40 (2), SR-7 (2), SR-787 (2), I-787 (1) and I-87 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 20 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 3.6% in New York.
Their busiest month is November, with 35% of garbage-truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 12121 fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at November schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 27.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New York; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 11.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New York; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2023 and 2024 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Rensselaer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-40 | 2 |
| SR-7 | 2 |
| SR-787 | 2 |
| I-787 | 1 |
| I-87 | 1 |
| SR-142 | 1 |
| SR-146 | 1 |
| SR-67 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rensselaer County) |
|---|---|
| Berkshire Spur | 1 |
| Berkshire Spur Bridge | 1 |
| Columbia Tnpk | 1 |
| I-90 | 1 |
| Longwoods Dr. | 1 |
| Morrison Ave | 1 |
| Pinewoods Ave. | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
ZIP 12121 at a glance
| Population | 2,280 |
| Density | 46 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $100,461 |
| Median home value | $296,860 |
| Home ownership | 100% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rensselaer 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 | 27 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 30 | +12% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 54 | +78% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 59 | +10% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 27 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 59. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 12121
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 12121?
608 truck crashes have been reported in Rensselaer County since 2015, with 11 deaths and 282 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 12121?
The worst month is December: 10.7% of truck crashes in Rensselaer County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 12121?
20 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Rensselaer County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 12121 compare with New York?
Rensselaer County records 40.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 28.0 across New York.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 12121?
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 and 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.