Birmingham, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Birmingham: 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
1.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Birmingham compares with Alabama
Birmingham against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Birmingham stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Birmingham | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 146.3 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 59% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 41% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.9% | 22.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.7% | 12.3% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.6% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.3% | 23.7% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Birmingham sits below Alabama on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Birmingham: 1.8× yearly fatal truck crashes within 15 miles of Birmingham: 5.5 in 2016–19, 10.0 in 2020–24.
Overview
Police reported 3,287 crashes involving commercial trucks in Birmingham since 2015: 1,346 people were injured and 49 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 7.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.6% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Alabama.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Alabama: 0.8%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-59 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (15). After it: I-65 (12), I-20 (7) and I-459 (7).
Garbage & waste trucks
83 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.5% share (Alabama: 2.3%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (13% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.2, vs 1.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Birmingham fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-59; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in February; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.9% of truck crashes here, more than Alabama; adjust start times where you can.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Birmingham
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 15 |
| I-65 | 12 |
| I-20 | 7 |
| I-459 | 7 |
| SR-79 | 5 |
| I-22 | 3 |
| SR-5 | 3 |
| US-78 | 2 |
| University Blvd | 2 |
| Us-Sr 38 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Birmingham) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 886 |
| I-65 | 536 |
| I-20 | 174 |
| US-280 | 79 |
| 1St Ave | 35 |
| Bankhead Hwy | 30 |
| Finley Blvd | 30 |
| Vanderbilt Rd | 29 |
Birmingham at a glance
| Population | 196,357 |
| Land area | 147.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,335 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Birmingham 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 | 5 | — | 10.0 |
| 2000s | 0 | -93% | 11.5 |
| 2010s | 199 | +49750% | 8.7 |
| 2020s | 244 | +22% | 10.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 244 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 6.8 a year in 2016–19 and 10.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Birmingham
How many truck accidents are there in Birmingham?
3,287 truck crashes have been reported in Birmingham since 2015, with 49 deaths and 1,346 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Birmingham?
Since 2015, I-59 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Birmingham: 15.
When do most truck crashes happen in Birmingham?
The worst month is June: 9.2% of truck crashes in Birmingham happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Birmingham?
Garbage trucks were involved in 83 reported crashes in Birmingham since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Birmingham compared with Alabama?
The yearly rate is 146.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Birmingham, vs 80.8 for Alabama.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Birmingham?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.