ZIP 17978 (Spring Glen, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 17978: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Dauphin 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
5.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Dauphin County compares with Pennsylvania
Dauphin County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dauphin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dauphin County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 93.8 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 19% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 69% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.7% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 37% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.6% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 8% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.8% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.2% | 24.2% | 24.8% | same |
Dauphin County sits below Pennsylvania on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Dauphin County: 1 in 88 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.1%, against 3.6% for Pennsylvania.
Overview
Police reported 3,229 crashes involving commercial trucks in Dauphin County since 2015: 1,233 people were injured and 62 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 9.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.7%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.1% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 5.7% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 17978 is US-209, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-225 (1), SR-25 (1) and SR-3018 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
35 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (17%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 5.9, vs 2.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 17978 fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Dauphin County.
- Check whether your routes use US-209, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at March schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Dauphin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-209 | 2 |
| SR-225 | 1 |
| SR-25 | 1 |
| SR-3018 | 1 |
| SR-4011 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dauphin County) |
|---|---|
| I-0081 | 856 |
| I-0083 | 545 |
| SR-0022 | 325 |
| SR-0300 | 146 |
| I-6000 | 142 |
| I-0283 | 132 |
| SR-0230 | 98 |
| SR-0039 | 61 |
ZIP 17978 at a glance
| Population | 688 |
| Density | 39 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $65,577 |
| Home ownership | 68% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dauphin 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 | 192 | — | 3.8 |
| 2000s | 216 | +12% | 4.9 |
| 2010s | 222 | +3% | 4.6 |
| 2020s | 265 | +20% | 4.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 192 a year in the 1990s and 265 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 17978
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 17978?
3,229 truck crashes have been reported in Dauphin County since 2015, with 62 deaths and 1,233 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 17978?
US-209 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 17978 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 17978?
The worst month is August: 9.4% of truck crashes in Dauphin County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 17978?
Garbage trucks were involved in 35 reported crashes in Dauphin County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 17978 compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Dauphin County records 93.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 17978?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.