ZIP 33805 (Lakeland, FL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 33805: 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 |
Compared with Florida, Polk County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
What stands out in ZIP 33805: I-4 deadliest road: 14 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 33805 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 3,056 people were injured and 257 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.4% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (7.2%).
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.1% in Florida.
The busiest hour is 6–7 am, 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
I-4 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 33805 with 14 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-92 (12), US-98 (9) and SR-659 (6).
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 33805 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-4; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at February schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-4 | 14 |
| US-92 | 12 |
| US-98 | 9 |
| SR-659 | 6 |
| SR-33 | 4 |
| CR-33A | 1 |
| CR-542 | 1 |
| CR-546 | 1 |
| CR-557A | 1 |
| CR-582 | 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 33805 at a glance
| Population | 28,751 |
| Density | 428 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $62,661 |
| Median home value | $199,182 |
| Home ownership | 50% |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 96 a year in the 1990s and 539 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 33805
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 33805?
Since 2015, 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (3,056 injured, 257 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 33805?
Since 2015, I-4 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 33805: 14.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 33805?
The worst month is March: 10.4% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 33805?
Garbage trucks were involved in 138 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 33805 compare with Florida for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 56.4 truck crashes a year; Florida has 37.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 33805?
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.