ZIP 18015 (Bethlehem, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18015: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Northampton 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
2.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Northampton County compares with Pennsylvania
Northampton County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Northampton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Northampton County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.5 | 57.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 35% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 3.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.9% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 46% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 24.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.9% | 19.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 24.2% | 24.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Northampton County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for ZIP 18015: I-78 deadliest road: 6 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18015 since 2015.
Overview
Northampton County has recorded 2,134 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,038 people injured and 35 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 38.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (7.5%).
4.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-78 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). After it: I-476 (3), US-22 (3) and SR-145 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 75 of the truck crashes here, or 3.5%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Their busiest month is November, with 13% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.8 deaths compared with 1.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18015 fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-78; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Northampton County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Northampton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-78 | 6 |
| I-476 | 3 |
| US-22 | 3 |
| SR-145 | 2 |
| SR-309 | 2 |
| SR-33 | 2 |
| SR-378 | 2 |
| Mu-American Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-0033 | 1 |
| SR-0121 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Northampton County) |
|---|---|
| I-0078 | 473 |
| SR-0033 | 216 |
| SR-0022 | 178 |
| SR-0512 | 167 |
| SR-0248 | 107 |
| SR-0191 | 49 |
| SR-0611 | 47 |
| SR-1002 | 41 |
ZIP 18015 at a glance
| Population | 34,852 |
| Density | 580 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $60,800 |
| Median home value | $278,736 |
| Home ownership | 50% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Northampton 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 | 97 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 116 | +20% | 3.4 |
| 2010s | 132 | +13% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 206 | +56% | 2.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 97 to 206. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.5 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 18015
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 18015?
2,134 truck crashes have been reported in Northampton County since 2015, with 35 deaths and 1,038 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 18015?
NHTSA data shows I-78 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18015 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 18015?
Truck crashes in Northampton County peak in August, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 18015?
Since 2015, Northampton County has reported 75 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 18015 compared with Pennsylvania?
Northampton County records 56.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 18015?
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.