ZIP 20646 (La Plata, MD) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 20646: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Charles 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
2.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Charles County compares with Maryland
Charles County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Charles County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Charles County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.3 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 28% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.53 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.5% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.6% | 2.4% | 6.2% | 33% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.6% | 24.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.7% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 8% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.3% | 40.4% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 19.8% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 22% below the state |
Compared with Maryland, Charles County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Charles County at a glance: 1 in 18 garbage-truck share of crashes is 5.5%, against 3.1% for Maryland.
Overview
Police reported 710 crashes involving commercial trucks in Charles County since 2015: 364 people were injured and 23 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 11.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 5.9%.
November through March accounts for 37.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.4% in Maryland.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 8.9% of truck crashes.
1.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.4% across Maryland.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 20646 happened on SR-234 (2), SR-6 (2), US-301 (2), CR-50 Middletown Rd (1) and SR-5 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
39 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.5% share (Maryland: 3.1%).
Their busiest month is October, with 15% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.7 deaths compared with 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 20646 fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Charles County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Charles County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-234 | 2 |
| SR-6 | 2 |
| US-301 | 2 |
| CR-50 Middletown Rd | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
| Sr-5Bu Leonardtown Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Charles County) |
|---|---|
| Crain Hwy | 170 |
| Leonardtown Rd | 81 |
| Billingsley Rd | 25 |
| Prince Frederick Rd | 23 |
| Mattawoman Beantown Rd | 23 |
| St Charles Pkwy | 20 |
| Charles St | 13 |
| Berry Rd | 13 |
ZIP 20646 at a glance
| Population | 21,400 |
| Density | 104 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $131,974 |
| Median home value | $449,220 |
| Home ownership | 86% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Charles 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 | 34 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 46 | +38% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 48 | +3% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 70 | +46% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 34 a year in the 1990s and 70 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 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 20646
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 20646?
Charles County has had 710 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 364 people and killing 23.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 20646?
Truck crashes in Charles County peak in October, with 11.1% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 20646?
Garbage trucks were involved in 39 reported crashes in Charles County since 2015 (5.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 20646 compared with Maryland?
Charles County records 35.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.3 across Maryland.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 20646?
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.