ZIP 18643 (Pittston, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18643: 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 has lower values than Pennsylvania for 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
Police reported 2,881 crashes involving commercial trucks in Luzerne County since 2015: 1,313 people were injured and 56 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Pennsylvania.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
10.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 9.1% across Pennsylvania.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-81 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). It is followed by SR-2007 (2), CR-DEMUNDS Rd (1) and SR-1044 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 82 of the truck crashes here, or 2.8%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (17% of them).
They recorded 3.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18643 fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-81; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- With 10.4% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Pennsylvania), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Luzerne County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 7 |
| SR-2007 | 2 |
| CR-DEMUNDS Rd | 1 |
| SR-1044 | 1 |
| SR-2004 | 1 |
| SR-3011 | 1 |
| SR-309 | 1 |
| Ssr-2007 E Northampton St | 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 18643 at a glance
| Population | 12,848 |
| Density | 272 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $63,125 |
| Median home value | $174,208 |
| Home ownership | 71% |
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. NHTSA counts 2.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 18643
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 18643?
Luzerne County has had 2,881 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,313 people and killing 56.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 18643?
NHTSA data shows I-81 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18643 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 18643?
Truck crashes in Luzerne County peak in December, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 18643?
Since 2015, Luzerne County has reported 82 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.8% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 18643 compare with Pennsylvania?
Per 100,000 residents, Luzerne County has 74.6 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 18643?
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.