Irondale, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Irondale: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Irondale and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Alabama
Jefferson County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 81.9 | 80.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 38% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.8% | 0.8% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.3% | 22.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.5% | 12.3% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.8% | 23.7% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Alabama, Jefferson County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Alabama on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Jefferson County: August garbage-truck crashes peak in August (13% of the year's total).
Overview
Since 2015, 6,305 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Jefferson County. They injured 2,535 people and killed 141.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Only 73 truck crashes were reported in Irondale since 2015; patterns below come from Jefferson County as a whole.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (7.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.4% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Alabama.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 6.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.8% of truck crashes, compared with 0.8% in Alabama.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Irondale since 2015: I-59 (7), I-65 (7), I-20 (6), I-459 (4) and SR-79 (4). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
185 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.9% share (Alabama: 2.3%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (13%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.3 deaths compared with 2.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Irondale fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Jefferson County.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Jefferson County.
- 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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 7 |
| I-65 | 7 |
| I-20 | 6 |
| I-459 | 4 |
| SR-79 | 4 |
| University Blvd | 2 |
| 1st Ave N | 1 |
| 24th St N | 1 |
| 4th Ave S | 1 |
| Black Creek Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 1,303 |
| I-65 | 1,128 |
| I-459 | 596 |
| I-20 | 495 |
| US-280 | 124 |
| I-22 | 115 |
| US-78 | 74 |
| US-31 | 52 |
Irondale at a glance
| Population | 13,545 |
| Land area | 17.3 sq mi |
| Density | 782 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 35210) | $73,061 |
| Median home value (ZIP 35210) | $255,692 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 168 | — | 10.0 |
| 2000s | 360 | +114% | 11.5 |
| 2010s | 486 | +35% | 8.7 |
| 2020s | 484 | -0% | 10.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 168 a year in the 1990s and 484 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 6.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 10.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Irondale
How common are truck crashes in Irondale?
6,305 truck crashes have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, with 141 deaths and 2,535 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Irondale?
The worst month is March: 9.2% of truck crashes in Jefferson County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Irondale?
Garbage trucks were involved in 185 reported crashes in Jefferson County since 2015 (2.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Irondale compared with Alabama?
The yearly rate is 81.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jefferson County, vs 80.8 for Alabama.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Irondale?
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.