ZIP 18049 (Emmaus, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18049: 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.
The headline for ZIP 18049: US-222 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18049: 9 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 3,737 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lehigh County since 2015: 1,632 people were injured and 85 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.0%.
November through March accounts for 39.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Pennsylvania.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (7.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 18049 is US-222, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-78 (8), I-476 (3) and US-22 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 114 of the truck crashes here, or 3.1%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (11% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.5 deaths compared with 2.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18049 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lehigh County.
- Check whether your routes use US-222, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Lehigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-222 | 9 |
| I-78 | 8 |
| I-476 | 3 |
| US-22 | 3 |
| SR-145 | 2 |
| SR-309 | 2 |
| SR-378 | 2 |
| SR-663 | 2 |
| Schantz Rd | 2 |
| Mu-American Pkwy | 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 18049 at a glance
| Population | 18,941 |
| Density | 488 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $93,694 |
| Median home value | $315,515 |
| Home ownership | 72% |
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. NHTSA counts 4.0 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 18049
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 18049?
3,737 truck crashes have been reported in Lehigh County since 2015, with 85 deaths and 1,632 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 18049?
NHTSA data shows US-222 with 9 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18049 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 18049?
The worst month is October: 9.2% of truck crashes in Lehigh County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 18049?
Since 2015, Lehigh County has reported 114 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.1% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 18049 compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Lehigh County records 83.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 18049?
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.