ZIP 18440 (La Plume, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18440: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Lackawanna 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 2.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lackawanna County compares with Pennsylvania
Lackawanna County against Pennsylvania and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lackawanna County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.9 | 57.2 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.47 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.5% | 9.1% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.0% | 24.5% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 19.0% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.2% | 24.2% | 24.8% | same |
Lackawanna County has lower values than Pennsylvania for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
ZIP 18440 at a glance: I-81 6 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 18440.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,696 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lackawanna County. They injured 743 people and killed 37.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.2% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Pennsylvania.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 11.5% of truck crashes, compared with 9.1% in Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-81 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). It is followed by I-0081 (2), SR-307 (2) and US-6 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 76 crashes, 4.5% of the total, against 3.6% across Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (12% of them).
They recorded 2.8 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18440 fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lackawanna County.
- Check whether your routes use I-81, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 11.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Pennsylvania; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Lackawanna County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 6 |
| I-0081 | 2 |
| SR-307 | 2 |
| US-6 | 2 |
| SR-3011 | 1 |
| SR-632 | 1 |
| SR-92 | 1 |
| US-11 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lackawanna County) |
|---|---|
| I-0081 | 473 |
| I-0084 | 143 |
| I-0380 | 81 |
| SR-0011 | 75 |
| SR-0006 | 73 |
| SR-6006 | 53 |
| SR-3013 | 45 |
| I-7476 | 33 |
ZIP 18440 at a glance
| Population | 35 |
| Density | 36 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $250,001 |
| Home ownership | 83% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lackawanna 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 | 112 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 130 | +16% | 1.9 |
| 2010s | 121 | -6% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 151 | +25% | 2.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 112 to 151. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 18440
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 18440?
Since 2015, 1,696 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lackawanna County (743 injured, 37 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 18440?
I-81 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 18440 since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 18440?
The worst month is January: 9.5% of truck crashes in Lackawanna County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 18440?
Garbage trucks were involved in 76 reported crashes in Lackawanna County since 2015 (4.5% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 18440 compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Lackawanna County records 66.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 18440?
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.