ZIP 18709 (Luzerne, PA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 18709: 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.
Luzerne County at a glance: December garbage-truck crashes peak in December (17% of the year's total).
Overview
Police reported 2,881 crashes involving commercial trucks in Luzerne County since 2015: 1,313 people were injured and 56 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.0% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across 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 18709 since 2015 were spread across roads: I-81 (2), SR-2007 (2), CR-DEMUNDS Rd (1), SR-1044 (1) and SR-2004 (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).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.7 deaths compared with 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 18709 fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Luzerne County.
- 10.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Pennsylvania; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 | 2 |
| SR-2007 | 2 |
| CR-DEMUNDS Rd | 1 |
| SR-1044 | 1 |
| SR-2004 | 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 18709 at a glance
| Population | 2,910 |
| Density | 1,478 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $42,135 |
| Median home value | $112,963 |
| Home ownership | 58% |
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 18709
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 18709?
Luzerne County has had 2,881 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,313 people and killing 56.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 18709?
December has the most truck crashes in Luzerne County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 18709?
82 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Luzerne County since 2015, 2.8% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 18709 compare with Pennsylvania for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Luzerne County has 74.6 truck crashes a year; Pennsylvania has 57.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 18709?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.