ZIP 18036 (Coopersburg, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18036: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Lehigh 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
5.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lehigh County compares with Pennsylvania
Lehigh County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lehigh County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lehigh County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 83.0 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 15% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 14% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.1% | 24.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.8% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.5% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 7% below the state |
| After dark | 26.1% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Lehigh County sits below Pennsylvania on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
ZIP 18036 at a glance: I-78 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 18036.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,737 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lehigh County. They injured 1,632 people and killed 85.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.5% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Pennsylvania: 9.1%).
Where crashes happen
I-78 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 18036 with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-309 (4), I-476 (3) and US-222 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
114 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.1% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (11%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 5.5, vs 2.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18036 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lehigh County.
- Look at alternatives to I-78 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Lehigh County.
- 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 Lehigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-78 | 5 |
| SR-309 | 4 |
| I-476 | 3 |
| US-222 | 3 |
| SR-378 | 2 |
| Mu-American Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-0121 | 1 |
| SR-0663 | 1 |
| SR-145 | 1 |
| SR-2007 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lehigh County) |
|---|---|
| I-0078 | 880 |
| I-7476 | 412 |
| SR-0022 | 400 |
| SR-0309 | 234 |
| SR-0222 | 190 |
| SR-0100 | 152 |
| SR-0145 | 120 |
| SR-1002 | 79 |
ZIP 18036 at a glance
| Population | 15,581 |
| Density | 206 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $129,123 |
| Median home value | $418,544 |
| Home ownership | 89% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lehigh 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 | 170 | — | 4.9 |
| 2000s | 236 | +39% | 4.6 |
| 2010s | 256 | +8% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 323 | +26% | 4.2 |
In the 1990s about 170 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 323. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.0 a year in 2016–19, 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 18036
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 18036?
Lehigh County has had 3,737 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,632 people and killing 85.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 18036?
I-78 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 18036 since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 18036?
Truck crashes in Lehigh County peak in October, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 18036?
Since 2015, Lehigh County has reported 114 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.1% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 18036 compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Lehigh County has 83.0 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 18036?
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.