ZIP 33803 (Lakeland, FL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 33803: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Polk 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
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Florida
Polk County against Florida and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.4 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.51 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 25.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.9% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 42.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.4% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Polk County has lower values than Florida for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
ZIP 33803 at a glance: US-92 11 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 33803.
Overview
Police reported 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 3,056 people were injured and 257 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.4% of the year) and are lowest in June (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.1% for Florida.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 7.1% of truck crashes.
0.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.1% across Florida.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 33803 is US-92, with 11 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-4 (9), US-98 (9) and SR-60 (7).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 138 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 3.8% across Florida.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (13% of them).
They recorded 2.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 33803 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-92; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk 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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-92 | 11 |
| I-4 | 9 |
| US-98 | 9 |
| SR-60 | 7 |
| SR-659 | 6 |
| County Line Rd | 4 |
| SR-33 | 2 |
| SR-37 | 2 |
| US-17 | 2 |
| CR-33A | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| SR-60 | 431 |
| SR-27 | 354 |
| US-27 | 160 |
| US-98 | 158 |
| Sr25 (Highway 27) | 139 |
| US-92 | 128 |
| I-4 | 115 |
| SR-98 | 92 |
ZIP 33803 at a glance
| Population | 29,321 |
| Density | 682 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $65,807 |
| Median home value | $241,961 |
| Home ownership | 64% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 96 | — | 18.1 |
| 2000s | 258 | +167% | 19.4 |
| 2010s | 319 | +24% | 14.2 |
| 2020s | 539 | +69% | 21.4 |
In the 1990s about 96 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 539. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 18.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 21.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 33803
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 33803?
Polk County has had 5,582 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,056 people and killing 257.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 33803?
Since 2015, US-92 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 33803: 11.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 33803?
The worst month is March: 10.4% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 33803?
Garbage trucks were involved in 138 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 33803 compared with Florida?
The yearly rate is 56.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 37.4 for Florida.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 33803?
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.