ZIP 14218 (Buffalo, NY) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 14218: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Erie 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
1.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Erie County compares with New York State
Erie 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 Erie County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2022) | Erie County | New York State | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.1 | 28.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.1 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 45% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.73 | 0.49 | 27% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 40% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 13.9% | 9.4% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 25.1% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.0% | 17.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.9% | 41.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.0% | 22.1% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Erie County has lower values than New York for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Erie County: 13.9% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 9.4% in New York.
Overview
Police reported 3,300 crashes involving commercial trucks in Erie County since 2015: 1,783 people were injured and 43 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (10.9% of the year) and are lowest in November (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 43.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.8% in New York.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 13.9% 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 14218 happened on I-90 (2), SR-130 (2), I-190 (1), Lathrop St (1) and Milestrip Rd (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 75 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 3.6% in New York.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (13%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.5, vs 1.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 14218 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 13.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above New York), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 was incomplete in 2023, 2024 and 2025, 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 Erie County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 2 |
| SR-130 | 2 |
| I-190 | 1 |
| Lathrop St | 1 |
| Milestrip Rd | 1 |
| Quinby Dr | 1 |
| SR-277 | 1 |
| SR-952Q | 1 |
| US-20 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Erie County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 16 |
| Fillmore | 2 |
| I-290 | 2 |
| Abbott Rd At Berg Rd | 1 |
| Broadway | 1 |
| Eastbound I-90 | 1 |
| Fillmore Ave. | 1 |
| George Urban | 1 |
ZIP 14218 at a glance
| Population | 20,312 |
| Density | 968 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $54,748 |
| Median home value | $147,842 |
| Home ownership | 56% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Erie 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 | 186 | — | 8.1 |
| 2000s | 234 | +26% | 4.9 |
| 2010s | 343 | +46% | 4.2 |
| 2020s | 360 | +5% | 4.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 186 a year in the 1990s and 360 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.5 a year in 2016–19, 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 14218
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 14218?
Erie County has had 3,300 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,783 people and killing 43.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 14218?
The worst month is January: 10.9% of truck crashes in Erie County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 14218?
Since 2015, Erie County has reported 75 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.3% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 14218 compare with New York for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Erie County has 40.1 truck crashes a year; New York has 28.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 14218?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
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.