Southside, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Southside: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Southside and Etowah County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Etowah County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Etowah County compares with Alabama
Etowah County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Etowah County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Etowah County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 87.6 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 75% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.7% | 22.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.5% | 12.3% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.2% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.8% | 23.7% | 24.8% | 8% below the state |
Etowah County sits below Alabama on on snow, slush or ice and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Southside: SR-77 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Southside: 11 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 1,054 crashes involving commercial trucks in Etowah County since 2015: 472 people were injured and 41 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Southside had 45 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Etowah County numbers.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (6.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.2% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Alabama.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.2% of truck crashes, compared with 0.8% in Alabama.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-77 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (11). After it: I-59 (5), I-759 (1) and Mu-Pleasant Valley Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
24 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.3% share (Alabama: 2.3%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (17% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 4.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Southside fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Etowah County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-77 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Etowah County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-77 | 11 |
| I-59 | 5 |
| I-759 | 1 |
| Mu-Pleasant Valley Rd | 1 |
| SR-25 | 1 |
| Sutton Bridge Rd | 1 |
| Tidmore Bend Rd | 1 |
| US-431 | 1 |
| Us-Sr 1 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Etowah County) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 187 |
| US-431 | 120 |
| US-278 | 99 |
| Al-77 | 84 |
| US-411 | 30 |
| E Meighan Blvd | 29 |
| I-759 | 22 |
| East Meighan Blvd | 19 |
Southside at a glance
| Population | 9,633 |
| Land area | 19.1 sq mi |
| Density | 504 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 35907) | $76,390 |
| Median home value (ZIP 35907) | $226,009 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Etowah 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 | 41 | — | 2.8 |
| 2000s | 65 | +58% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 86 | +31% | 2.8 |
| 2020s | 81 | -6% | 4.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 41 to 81. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 3.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Southside
How many truck crashes happen in Southside?
Since 2015, 1,054 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Etowah County (472 injured, 41 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Southside?
Since 2015, SR-77 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Southside: 11.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Southside?
The worst month is August: 9.9% of truck crashes in Etowah County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Southside?
Since 2015, Etowah County has reported 24 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.3% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Southside compare with Alabama?
The yearly rate is 87.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Etowah County, vs 80.8 for Alabama.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Southside?
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.