ZIP 33844 (Haines City, FL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 33844: 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 sits below Florida 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.
ZIP 33844 at a glance: 2.5× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of ZIP 33844 (2.2 → 5.6).
Overview
Since 2015, 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 3,056 people and killed 257.
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%).
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.1% in Florida.
More truck crashes happen at 6–7 am than at any other hour (7.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.0% of truck crashes, compared with 0.1% in Florida.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 33844 is US-27, with 12 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-17 (8), SR-544 (3) and CR-542 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 138 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 3.8% across Florida.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (13%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.3, vs 4.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 33844 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-27, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk County.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 12 |
| US-17 | 8 |
| SR-544 | 3 |
| CR-542 | 1 |
| CR-546 | 1 |
| CR-557 | 1 |
| CR-580 | 1 |
| Cypress Parkway | 1 |
| Detour Rd | 1 |
| Lake Hatchineha Road | 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 33844 at a glance
| Population | 51,255 |
| Density | 204 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $63,650 |
| Median home value | $229,749 |
| Home ownership | 70% |
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 33844
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 33844?
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 33844?
Since 2015, US-27 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 33844: 12.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 33844?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in March, with 10.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 33844?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 138 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 33844 compare with Florida?
Polk County records 56.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 37.4 across Florida.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 33844?
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.