ZIP 12196 (West Sand Lake, NY) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 12196: 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 has lower values than New York for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Rensselaer County: +89% reported truck crashes a year in the 2010s vs the 2000s (57 vs 30).
Overview
Since 2015, 608 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Rensselaer County. They injured 282 people and killed 11.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (10.7% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.1%).
November through March accounts for 41.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.8% in New York.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.7%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.3% of truck crashes, compared with 9.4% in New York.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-787 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). Next come SR-5 (2), SR-787 (2) and Broadway (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
20 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (New York: 3.6%).
Their busiest month is November, with 35% of garbage-truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 12196 fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-787, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Rensselaer County.
- Morning starts matter: 27.9% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than New York.
- 11.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New York; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Reporting was incomplete in 2023 and 2024, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
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) |
|---|---|
| I-787 | 3 |
| SR-5 | 2 |
| SR-787 | 2 |
| Broadway | 1 |
| CR-378 | 1 |
| Church St | 1 |
| SR-142 | 1 |
| SR-9 | 1 |
| US-4 | 1 |
| Williams Rd | 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 12196 at a glance
| Population | 3,880 |
| Density | 167 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $110,889 |
| Median home value | $316,521 |
| Home ownership | 85% |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 27 to 59. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 12196
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 12196?
608 truck crashes have been reported in Rensselaer County since 2015, with 11 deaths and 282 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 12196?
I-787 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 12196 since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 12196?
The worst month is December: 10.7% of truck crashes in Rensselaer County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 12196?
20 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Rensselaer County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 12196 compared with New York?
The yearly rate is 40.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rensselaer County, vs 28.0 for New York.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 12196?
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 and 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.