ZIP 18053 (Germansville, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18053: 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 has lower values than Pennsylvania for 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.
What stands out in ZIP 18053: I-78 4 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 18053.
Overview
Police reported 3,737 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lehigh County since 2015: 1,632 people were injured and 85 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 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 18053 with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-309 (2), I-476 (1) and SR-0248 (1).
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%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.5 deaths compared with 2.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18053 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lehigh County.
- Check whether your routes use I-78, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Lehigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-78 | 4 |
| SR-309 | 2 |
| I-476 | 1 |
| SR-0248 | 1 |
| SR-1045 | 1 |
| SR-145 | 1 |
| SR-3019 | 1 |
| SR-443 | 1 |
| SR-863 | 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 18053 at a glance
| Population | 2,344 |
| Density | 50 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $83,370 |
| Median home value | $312,000 |
| Home ownership | 92% |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 170 a year in the 1990s and 323 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 18053
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 18053?
Since 2015, 3,737 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lehigh County (1,632 injured, 85 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 18053?
Since 2015, I-78 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18053: 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 18053?
The worst month is October: 9.2% of truck crashes in Lehigh County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 18053?
114 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lehigh County since 2015, 3.1% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 18053 compared with Pennsylvania?
Per 100,000 residents, Lehigh County has 83.0 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 18053?
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.