ZIP 21046 (Columbia, MD) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 21046: 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 |
Howard County sits below Maryland on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Maryland on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
The headline for ZIP 21046: I-95 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 21046: 18 since 2015.
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%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.7% of truck crashes, against 40.4% across Maryland.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (7.1%).
2.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.4% across Maryland.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 21046 is I-95, with 18 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-1 (8), I-695 (3) and SR-32 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 53 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 3.1% across Maryland.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in May (13%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 21046 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Howard County.
- Check whether your routes use I-95, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Howard County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 18 |
| US-1 | 8 |
| I-695 | 3 |
| SR-32 | 3 |
| SR-100 | 2 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| CR-1140 | 1 |
| CR-121 | 1 |
| CR-1312 | 1 |
| CR-1910 | 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 21046 at a glance
| Population | 15,608 |
| Density | 772 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $127,813 |
| Median home value | $481,232 |
| Home ownership | 65% |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 104 to 219. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.5 a year in 2016–19, 4.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 21046
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 21046?
2,423 truck crashes have been reported in Howard County since 2015, with 49 deaths and 1,016 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 21046?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 21046: 18.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 21046?
The worst month is October: 9.9% of truck crashes in Howard County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 21046?
Garbage trucks were involved in 53 reported crashes in Howard County since 2015 (2.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 21046 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 21046?
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.