ZIP 18656 (Sweet Valley, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18656: 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 |
Compared with Pennsylvania, Luzerne County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Pennsylvania on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
The headline for Luzerne County: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 17% of them.
Overview
Luzerne County has recorded 2,881 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,313 people injured and 56 killed.
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.
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
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 18656 since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-487 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 82 of the truck crashes here, or 2.8%, compared with 3.6% in Pennsylvania.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (17%).
They recorded 3.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18656 fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 10.4% of truck crashes here, more than Pennsylvania; schedule winter 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) |
|---|---|
| SR-487 | 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 18656 at a glance
| Population | 2,066 |
| Density | 13 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $76,804 |
| Median home value | $231,744 |
| Home ownership | 93% |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 147 a year in the 1990s and 257 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 18656
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 18656?
2,881 truck crashes have been reported in Luzerne County since 2015, with 56 deaths and 1,313 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 18656?
December has the most truck crashes in Luzerne County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 18656?
Garbage trucks were involved in 82 reported crashes in Luzerne County since 2015 (2.8% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 18656 compare with Pennsylvania?
Luzerne County records 74.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 57.2 across Pennsylvania.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 18656?
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.