ZIP 18221 (Drifton, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18221: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Luzerne 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
3.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Luzerne County compares with Pennsylvania
Luzerne County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Luzerne County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 74.6 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.47 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 17% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.4% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.9% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.8% | 19.0% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.9% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Luzerne County sits below Pennsylvania on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
What stands out in Luzerne County: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 17% of them.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,881 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Luzerne County. They injured 1,313 people and killed 56.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 9.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.4%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.4% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (9). Next come I-81 (3), SR-924 (2) and SR-437 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
82 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.8% share (Pennsylvania: 3.6%).
Their busiest month is December, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18221 fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 10.4% of truck crashes here, more than Pennsylvania; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Luzerne County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 9 |
| I-81 | 3 |
| SR-924 | 2 |
| SR-437 | 1 |
| SR-8017 | 1 |
| SR-93 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Luzerne County) |
|---|---|
| I-0081 | 818 |
| I-0080 | 562 |
| SR-0309 | 167 |
| I-7476 | 113 |
| SR-0315 | 104 |
| SR-0093 | 95 |
| SR-0924 | 86 |
| SR-0011 | 75 |
ZIP 18221 at a glance
| Population | 436 |
| Density | 79 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $71,250 |
| Home ownership | 74% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Luzerne 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 | 147 | — | 4.4 |
| 2000s | 194 | +32% | 4.6 |
| 2010s | 182 | -6% | 3.2 |
| 2020s | 257 | +41% | 3.8 |
In the 1990s about 147 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 257. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 18221
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 18221?
2,881 truck crashes have been reported in Luzerne County since 2015, with 56 deaths and 1,313 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 18221?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 9 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18221 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 18221?
Truck crashes in Luzerne County peak in December, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 18221?
82 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Luzerne County since 2015, 2.8% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 18221 compared with Pennsylvania?
Luzerne County records 74.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 18221?
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.