ZIP 21218 (Baltimore, MD) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 21218: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Baltimore city, 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
4.6 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Baltimore city compares with Maryland
Baltimore city against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Baltimore city stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Baltimore city | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 44.2 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 10% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.86 | 0.53 | 0.49 | 1.6× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.9% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.6% | 2.4% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 24.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.2% | 13.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.7% | 40.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.6% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Baltimore city has lower values than Maryland for crashes per 100k residents / yr. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Baltimore city: +173% change in yearly reported truck crashes from the 2000s (75) to the 2010s (204).
Overview
Police reported 2,912 crashes involving commercial trucks in Baltimore city since 2015: 2,436 people were injured and 66 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (9.5% of the year) and are lowest in November (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 41.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.4% in Maryland.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.6% 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 (12). Next come I-695 (11), US-40 (7) and US-1 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
111 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.8% share (Maryland: 3.1%).
Their busiest month is July, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.6, vs 2.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 21218 fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 2.6% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Maryland), plan winter equipment 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 Baltimore city
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 12 |
| I-695 | 11 |
| US-40 | 7 |
| US-1 | 4 |
| I-83 | 3 |
| SR-151 | 3 |
| I-70 | 2 |
| Mu-1370 | 2 |
| SR-26 | 2 |
| SR-7 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Baltimore city) |
|---|---|
| Fort Mchenry Tunnel | 479 |
| Harbor Tunnel Thruway | 50 |
| Acrs Marked Off Road | 44 |
| Balto Beltway | 36 |
| Is 95 - Fort Mchenry Tunnel | 31 |
| E Monument St | 25 |
| Reisterstown Rd | 25 |
| Pulaski Hwy | 24 |
ZIP 21218 at a glance
| Population | 44,014 |
| Density | 3,925 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $62,488 |
| Median home value | $242,851 |
| Home ownership | 48% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Baltimore city 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 | 31 | — | 4.3 |
| 2000s | 61 | +96% | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 204 | +233% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 274 | +34% | 3.4 |
In the 1990s about 31 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 274. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 2.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 21218
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 21218?
Baltimore city has had 2,912 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,436 people and killing 66.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 21218?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 21218: 12.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 21218?
December has the most truck crashes in Baltimore city, 9.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 21218?
Since 2015, Baltimore city has reported 111 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.8% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 21218 compared with Maryland?
Per 100,000 residents, Baltimore city has 44.2 truck crashes a year; Maryland has 49.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 21218?
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.