ZIP 33852 (Lake Placid, FL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 33852: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Highlands 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
7.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 7.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Highlands County compares with Florida
Highlands County against Florida and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Highlands County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Highlands County | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 50.8 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.3 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.59 | 0.51 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.2% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 2.0× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 25.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.3% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.3% | 42.1% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 26.1% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Highlands County has lower values than Florida for in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Highlands County: 0.2% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Florida: 0.1%).
Overview
Since 2015, 648 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Highlands County. They injured 383 people and killed 46.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 11.0% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.9%).
November through March accounts for 46.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.1% in Florida.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (8.6%).
0.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.1% across Florida.
Where crashes happen
US-27 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 33852 with 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-70 (6).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 27 crashes, 4.2% of the total, against 3.8% across Florida.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (15% of them).
They recorded 7.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 7.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 33852 fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-27 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: January is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Highlands County.
- With 0.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Florida), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Highlands County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 8 |
| SR-70 | 6 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Highlands County) |
|---|---|
| US-27 | 132 |
| SR-70 | 65 |
| State Road 70 | 58 |
| Us 27 (Sr 25) | 55 |
| Us 27 South | 22 |
| State Road 66 | 18 |
| Us 27 (State Road 25) | 17 |
| Us-27 (Sr-25) | 15 |
ZIP 33852 at a glance
| Population | 22,600 |
| Density | 30 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $54,284 |
| Median home value | $207,726 |
| Home ownership | 81% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Highlands 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 | 20 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 41 | +111% | 4.0 |
| 2010s | 46 | +10% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 53 | +15% | 4.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 20 a year in the 1990s and 53 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 33852
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 33852?
Since 2015, 648 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Highlands County (383 injured, 46 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 33852?
US-27 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 33852 since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 33852?
March has the most truck crashes in Highlands County, 11.0% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 33852?
27 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Highlands County since 2015, 4.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 33852 compared with Florida?
The yearly rate is 50.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Highlands County, vs 37.4 for Florida.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 33852?
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.