Cherokee County, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cherokee County: 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
7 of 372 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cherokee County compares with Alabama
Cherokee County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cherokee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cherokee County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 128.2 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 47% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 100% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.3% | 22.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 12.3% | 13.8% | 30% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.7% | 40.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 25.1% | 23.7% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Alabama, Cherokee County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Alabama on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and winter months (nov–mar).
Cherokee County at a glance: 0.0% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Alabama: 0.8%).
Overview
Cherokee County has recorded 372 truck crashes since 2015, with 167 people injured and 18 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 11.0% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (5.1%).
November through March accounts for 45.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Alabama.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.0% of truck crashes, compared with 0.8% in Alabama.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes in Cherokee County since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-68 (3), SR-9 (3), CR-1 (1), CR-WEISS Lake Blvd (1) and Cedar Bluff Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 1.9% of the total, against 2.3% across Alabama.
Route planning tips for Cherokee County fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2024 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Cherokee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Cherokee County) |
|---|---|
| SR-68 | 3 |
| SR-9 | 3 |
| CR-1 | 1 |
| CR-WEISS Lake Blvd | 1 |
| Cedar Bluff Rd | 1 |
| SR-35 | 1 |
| SR-74 | 1 |
| US-411 | 1 |
| Us-Sr 25 | 1 |
| Us-Sr 74 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cherokee County) |
|---|---|
| Al-9 | 75 |
| US-411 | 52 |
| Al-35 | 33 |
| Al-68 | 26 |
| Chestnut Bypass | 16 |
| US-278 | 16 |
| Cr-29 | 8 |
| Cedar Bluff Road | 6 |
Cherokee County at a glance
| Population | 26,138 |
| Land area | 553.5 sq mi |
| Density | 47 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $52,728 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cherokee 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 | 17 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 24 | +45% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 30 | +22% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 33 | +10% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 17 to 33. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Cherokee County
ZIP codes in Cherokee County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Cherokee County
How many truck crashes happen in Cherokee County?
372 truck crashes have been reported in Cherokee County since 2015, with 18 deaths and 167 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cherokee County?
March has the most truck crashes in Cherokee County, 11.0% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cherokee County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Cherokee County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Cherokee County compare with Alabama?
Cherokee County records 128.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Alabama.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cherokee County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.