Red Bay, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Red Bay: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Red Bay and Franklin County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Franklin County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 271 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Franklin County compares with Alabama
Franklin County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Franklin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Franklin County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 77.2 | 80.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 41% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 100% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.0% | 22.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.2% | 12.3% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.8% | 40.8% | 41.9% | 7% below the state |
| After dark | 19.9% | 23.7% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Franklin County has lower values than Alabama for deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar). Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Franklin County: 0.0% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 0.8% across Alabama.
Overview
Police reported 271 crashes involving commercial trucks in Franklin County since 2015: 138 people were injured and 5 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 15 days.
Red Bay had 24 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Franklin County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (12.9% of the year) and are lowest in February (5.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 37.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Alabama.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 10.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Alabama: 0.8%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Red Bay since 2015: SR-24 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.6% share (Alabama: 2.3%).
Route planning tips for Red Bay fleets
- Build extra time into May routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 26.0% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Alabama; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
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 Franklin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-24 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Franklin County) |
|---|---|
| Al-24 | 50 |
| US-43 | 38 |
| Al-13 | 24 |
| Al-243 | 17 |
| Al Hwy 24 | 12 |
| SR-24 | 11 |
| U S Hwy 43 | 5 |
| Cr-75 | 5 |
Red Bay at a glance
| Population | 3,171 |
| Land area | 9.8 sq mi |
| Density | 325 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 35582) | $48,235 |
| Median home value (ZIP 35582) | $120,417 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Franklin 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 | 22 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 21 | -3% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 23 | +10% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 23 | -2% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 22 a year in the 1990s and 23 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Red Bay
How many truck crashes happen in Red Bay?
Since 2015, 271 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Franklin County (138 injured, 5 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Red Bay?
The worst month is May: 12.9% of truck crashes in Franklin County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Red Bay?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Franklin County since 2015 (2.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Red Bay compared with Alabama?
Per 100,000 residents, Franklin County has 77.2 truck crashes a year; Alabama has 80.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Red Bay?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
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.