ZIP 16159 (West Middlesex, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 16159: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Mercer 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 2.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Mercer County compares with Pennsylvania
Mercer County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mercer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mercer County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 88.3 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 26.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 2.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.2% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 32.9% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 28.4% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Mercer County sits below Pennsylvania on deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am). 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 Mercer County: 26.5% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Overview
Police reported 1,176 crashes involving commercial trucks in Mercer County since 2015: 547 people were injured and 29 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 15.1% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.9%).
November through March accounts for 49.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (6.6%).
26.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
I-80 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 16159 with 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-82 (3), US-62 (2) and Center St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 41 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in May (20%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 16159 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 26.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Pennsylvania), 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
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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Mercer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 10 |
| SR-82 | 3 |
| US-62 | 2 |
| Center St | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-718 | 1 |
| US-422 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mercer County) |
|---|---|
| I-0080 | 581 |
| I-0079 | 90 |
| SR-0018 | 52 |
| Z H Confair Hw | 50 |
| SR-0019 | 36 |
| SR-0058 | 33 |
| SR-0062 | 31 |
| SR-0173 | 23 |
ZIP 16159 at a glance
| Population | 4,455 |
| Density | 61 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $69,391 |
| Median home value | $179,825 |
| Home ownership | 80% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mercer 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 | 87 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 88 | +1% | 3.1 |
| 2010s | 80 | -9% | 2.3 |
| 2020s | 93 | +16% | 1.6 |
In the 1990s about 87 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 93. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 16159
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 16159?
1,176 truck crashes have been reported in Mercer County since 2015, with 29 deaths and 547 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 16159?
I-80 had 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 16159 since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 16159?
January has the most truck crashes in Mercer County, 15.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 16159?
Garbage trucks were involved in 41 reported crashes in Mercer County since 2015 (3.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 16159 compared with Pennsylvania?
Mercer County records 88.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 16159?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.