ZIP 12189 (Watervliet, NY) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 12189: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Albany 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 1.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Albany County compares with New York State
Albany 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 Albany County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Albany County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.8 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.1 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 45% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 38% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.5% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 10% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.8% | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.3% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.7% | 41.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.8% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Albany County sits below New York on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
ZIP 12189 at a glance: I-787 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 12189: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 1,570 crashes involving commercial trucks in Albany County since 2015: 736 people were injured and 21 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (9.6% of the year) and are lowest in March (7.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.7% of truck crashes, vs 41.8% for New York.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 8.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New York: 9.4%).
Where crashes happen
I-787 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 12189 with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-90 (3), SR-5 (3) and SR-787 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 55 of the truck crashes here, or 3.5%, compared with 3.6% in New York.
Their busiest month is February, with 13% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.8 deaths compared with 1.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 12189 fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-787 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in February; review collection routes for that month.
- 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.
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 Albany County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-787 | 4 |
| I-90 | 3 |
| SR-5 | 3 |
| SR-787 | 2 |
| Broadway | 1 |
| CR-378 | 1 |
| Church St | 1 |
| E Highland Dr | 1 |
| SR-142 | 1 |
| SR-155 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Albany County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 5 |
| I-87 | 3 |
| I-787 | 2 |
| Delmar Bypass | 1 |
| I 890 Exit 9A And Curry Rd. | 1 |
| I87 To I787 Acrd | 1 |
| Loudon Rd. | 1 |
| Sr 7 Wb To Loudon Rd | 1 |
ZIP 12189 at a glance
| Population | 18,656 |
| Density | 1,158 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $65,276 |
| Median home value | $221,169 |
| Home ownership | 40% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Albany 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 | 54 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 105 | +96% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 166 | +58% | 1.8 |
| 2020s | 158 | -5% | 2.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 54 a year in the 1990s and 158 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 12189
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 12189?
1,570 truck crashes have been reported in Albany County since 2015, with 21 deaths and 736 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 12189?
I-787 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 12189 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 12189?
Truck crashes in Albany County peak in June, with 9.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 12189?
Since 2015, Albany County has reported 55 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 12189 compare with New York for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 56.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Albany County, vs 28.0 for New York.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 12189?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
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.