ZIP 21221 (Essex, MD) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 21221: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Baltimore 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
2.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Baltimore County compares with Maryland
Baltimore County against Maryland and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Baltimore County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Baltimore County | Maryland | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.6 | 49.3 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.53 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 15% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.3% | 2.4% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.0% | 24.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.4% | 13.8% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.3% | 40.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.9% | 25.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Maryland, Baltimore County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in ZIP 21221: I-95 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 21221: 9 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 5,591 crashes involving commercial trucks in Baltimore County since 2015: 2,751 people were injured and 93 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 7.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.3% of truck crashes, against 40.4% across Maryland.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 6.9% of truck crashes.
2.3% 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 21221 is I-95, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-40 (8), I-695 (5) and SR-151 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 144 of the truck crashes here, or 2.6%, compared with 3.1% in Maryland.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in July (12%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.9, vs 1.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 21221 fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-95, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Baltimore County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 9 |
| US-40 | 8 |
| I-695 | 5 |
| SR-151 | 3 |
| Mu-1370 | 2 |
| SR-7 | 2 |
| CR-3739 | 1 |
| CR-5132 | 1 |
| CR-5560 | 1 |
| Eastern Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Baltimore County) |
|---|---|
| Balto Beltway | 1,036 |
| J F K Memorial Hwy | 437 |
| No Name | 296 |
| Harrisburg Expwy | 284 |
| Balto Beltway (Inner Loop) | 277 |
| Pulaski Hwy | 130 |
| Acrs Marked Off Road | 78 |
| North Point Blvd | 70 |
ZIP 21221 at a glance
| Population | 43,487 |
| Density | 1,117 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $67,340 |
| Median home value | $269,313 |
| Home ownership | 62% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Baltimore 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 | 232 | — | 5.8 |
| 2000s | 294 | +27% | 6.6 |
| 2010s | 364 | +24% | 6.2 |
| 2020s | 523 | +44% | 6.4 |
In the 1990s about 232 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 523. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 7.8 a year in 2016–19, 6.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 21221
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 21221?
Since 2015, 5,591 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Baltimore County (2,751 injured, 93 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 21221?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 21221: 9.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 21221?
Truck crashes in Baltimore County peak in October, with 9.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 21221?
Since 2015, Baltimore County has reported 144 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 21221 compare with Maryland?
Baltimore County records 56.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.3 across Maryland.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 21221?
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.