ZIP 14221 (Buffalo, NY) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 14221: 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 runs above New York on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
ZIP 14221 at a glance: I-90 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 14221: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,300 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Erie County. They injured 1,783 people and killed 43.
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.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.9%).
13.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.4% across New York.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-90 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). After it: SR-33 (3), I-290 (2) and SR-130 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 75 crashes, 2.3% of the total, against 3.6% across New York.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (13% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.5 deaths compared with 1.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 14221 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-90, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 13.9% 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
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 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 | 4 |
| SR-33 | 3 |
| I-290 | 2 |
| SR-130 | 2 |
| SR-78 | 2 |
| CR-290 Wehrle Dr | 1 |
| Lathrop St | 1 |
| SR-265 | 1 |
| SR-324 | 1 |
| SR-425 | 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 14221 at a glance
| Population | 55,255 |
| Density | 912 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $101,615 |
| Median home value | $328,324 |
| Home ownership | 75% |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 186 to 360. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 14221
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 14221?
Since 2015, 3,300 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Erie County (1,783 injured, 43 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 14221?
I-90 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 14221 since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 14221?
The worst month is January: 10.9% of truck crashes in Erie County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 14221?
Garbage trucks were involved in 75 reported crashes in Erie County since 2015 (2.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 14221 compare with New York?
The yearly rate is 40.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Erie County, vs 28.0 for New York.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 14221?
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.