ZIP 21044 (Columbia, MD) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 21044: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Howard 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Howard County compares with Maryland
Howard County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Howard County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Howard County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.9 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.53 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 2.4% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.0% | 24.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.5% | 13.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.7% | 40.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.3% | 25.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Maryland, Howard County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
The headline for ZIP 21044: I-95 17 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 21044.
Overview
Police reported 2,423 crashes involving commercial trucks in Howard County since 2015: 1,016 people were injured and 49 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 40.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.4% in Maryland.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (7.1%).
Road surface: 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Maryland: 2.4%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-95 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (17). Next come US-1 (7), I-70 (4) and SR-32 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 53 of the truck crashes here, or 2.2%, compared with 3.1% in Maryland.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (13% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 21044 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Howard County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-95; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Howard County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Howard County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 17 |
| US-1 | 7 |
| I-70 | 4 |
| SR-32 | 4 |
| I-695 | 2 |
| SR-100 | 2 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| CR-1140 | 1 |
| CR-121 | 1 |
| CR-1312 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Howard County) |
|---|---|
| No Name | 1,054 |
| Washington Blvd | 175 |
| Columbia Pike | 61 |
| Sykesville Rd | 53 |
| Patuxent Pkwy | 53 |
| Waterloo Rd | 52 |
| Acrs Marked Off Road | 42 |
| Is95 | 28 |
ZIP 21044 at a glance
| Population | 44,114 |
| Density | 1,433 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $135,057 |
| Median home value | $566,764 |
| Home ownership | 60% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Howard 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 | 104 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 116 | +12% | 3.5 |
| 2010s | 174 | +50% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 219 | +26% | 4.4 |
In the 1990s about 104 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 219. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.5 a year in 2016–19 and 4.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 21044
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 21044?
Howard County has had 2,423 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,016 people and killing 49.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 21044?
I-95 had 17 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 21044 since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 21044?
Truck crashes in Howard County peak in October, with 9.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 21044?
Since 2015, Howard County has reported 53 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 21044 compare with Maryland?
Howard County records 61.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.3 across Maryland.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 21044?
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.