ZIP 21794 (West Friendship, MD) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 21794: 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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
The headline for ZIP 21794: I-70 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 21794: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,423 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Howard County. They injured 1,016 people and killed 49.
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%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.7% of truck crashes, vs 40.4% for Maryland.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.5% of truck crashes, compared with 2.4% in Maryland.
Where crashes happen
I-70 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 21794 with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-32 (5), US-29 (2) and CR-1312 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
53 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.2% share (Maryland: 3.1%).
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 21794 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Howard County.
- Look at alternatives to I-70 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Howard County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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-70 | 7 |
| SR-32 | 5 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| CR-1312 | 1 |
| CR-70 | 1 |
| CR-SYKESVILLE Rd | 1 |
| SR-26 | 1 |
| SR-97 | 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 21794 at a glance
| Population | 2,192 |
| Density | 104 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $231,466 |
| Median home value | $1,009,099 |
| Home ownership | 100% |
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 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 21794
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 21794?
Howard County has had 2,423 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,016 people and killing 49.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 21794?
Since 2015, I-70 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 21794: 7.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 21794?
October has the most truck crashes in Howard County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 21794?
53 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Howard County since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 21794 compare with Maryland?
The yearly rate is 61.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Howard County, vs 49.3 for Maryland.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 21794?
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.