ZIP 16117 (Ellwood City, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 16117: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Lawrence 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lawrence County compares with Pennsylvania
Lawrence County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lawrence County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lawrence County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.0 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 32% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.7% | 9.1% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.0% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.1% | 19.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.3% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 21.1% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Lawrence County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Lawrence County at a glance: 1 in 16 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 6.1%, vs 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Overview
Since 2015, 385 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lawrence County. They injured 168 people and killed 12.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is April with 9.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.3% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.8% of truck crashes.
9.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-76 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by I-79 (2), SR-288 (2) and I-376 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 23 of the truck crashes here, or 6.0%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Their busiest month is April, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 16117 fleets
- Review driver schedules for April, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-76 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 28.0% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Pennsylvania; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lawrence County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-76 | 3 |
| I-79 | 2 |
| SR-288 | 2 |
| I-376 | 1 |
| SR-0168 | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-3025 | 1 |
| SR-351 | 1 |
| SR-4013 | 1 |
| SR-488 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lawrence County) |
|---|---|
| SR-0422 | 58 |
| SR-0018 | 34 |
| I-0376 | 26 |
| I-6000 | 25 |
| SR-0065 | 20 |
| SR-0224 | 18 |
| I-0079 | 17 |
| SR-0108 | 17 |
ZIP 16117 at a glance
| Population | 15,786 |
| Density | 168 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $73,045 |
| Median home value | $148,690 |
| Home ownership | 77% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lawrence 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 | 37 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 38 | +2% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 27 | -29% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 34 | +23% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 37 a year in the 1990s and 34 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 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 16117
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 16117?
Since 2015, 385 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lawrence County (168 injured, 12 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 16117?
I-76 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 16117 since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 16117?
April has the most truck crashes in Lawrence County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 16117?
23 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lawrence County since 2015, 6.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 16117 compare with Pennsylvania?
The yearly rate is 39.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lawrence County, vs 57.2 for Pennsylvania.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 16117?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.