Alabama truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Alabama: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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
2.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Alabama compares with United States
Alabama against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Alabama stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Alabama | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.6× the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.4 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.8% | 6.2% | 87% below the US |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.3% | 13.8% | 11% below the US |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.7% | 24.8% | same |
Alabama sits below the US on on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Alabama: 0.8% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 6.2% across the US.
Overview
Since 2015, 48,661 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Alabama. They injured 22,145 people and killed 1,658.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 11 truck crashes a day.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.0% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (7.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.8% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across the US.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 6.9% of truck crashes.
0.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.2% across the US.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Alabama is I-65, with 108 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-59 (69), I-20 (43) and I-10 (26).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1,089 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.3% across the US.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (10%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.4 deaths compared with 3.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Alabama fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-65; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Alabama.
- 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 Alabama
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Alabama) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 108 |
| I-59 | 69 |
| I-20 | 43 |
| I-10 | 26 |
| I-22 | 25 |
| US-80 | 24 |
| I-85 | 23 |
| SR-157 | 20 |
| US-431 | 20 |
| SR-5 | 18 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Alabama) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 5,819 |
| I-59 | 3,735 |
| I-20 | 2,285 |
| I-85 | 1,742 |
| I-10 | 1,409 |
| US-231 | 1,065 |
| US-431 | 854 |
| US-280 | 794 |
Alabama at a glance
| Population | 5,157,699 |
| Land area | 50,651.0 sq mi |
| Density | 102 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in Alabama 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 | 2,118 | — | 139.0 |
| 2000s | 3,223 | +52% | 119.0 |
| 2010s | 3,597 | +12% | 101.6 |
| 2020s | 4,073 | +13% | 130.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2,118 to 4,073. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 113.8 a year in 2016–19 and 130.4 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in Alabama
Largest places in Alabama
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about Alabama
How many truck crashes happen in Alabama?
Since 2015, 48,661 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Alabama (22,145 injured, 1,658 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Alabama?
Since 2015, I-65 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Alabama: 108.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Alabama?
Truck crashes in Alabama peak in August, with 9.0% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Alabama?
Since 2015, Alabama has reported 1,089 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Alabama compare with the US?
Per 100,000 residents, Alabama has 80.8 truck crashes a year; the US has 49.7.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Alabama?
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.