McDonald Chapel, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in McDonald Chapel: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in McDonald Chapel 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 |
Jefferson County sits below Alabama on deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in McDonald Chapel: I-59 deadliest road: 11 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of McDonald Chapel since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 6,305 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 2,535 people were injured and 141 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in McDonald Chapel since 2015; patterns below come from Jefferson County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.3%).
November through March accounts for 41.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Alabama.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out 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
I-59 leads within 10 miles of McDonald Chapel with 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-65 (8), I-22 (3) and SR-5 (3).
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%).
They recorded 2.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for McDonald Chapel fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-59; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
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 | 11 |
| I-65 | 8 |
| I-22 | 3 |
| SR-5 | 3 |
| I-20 | 2 |
| University Blvd | 2 |
| 1st Ave N | 1 |
| 24th St N | 1 |
| 32nd St | 1 |
| 4th Ave S | 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 |
McDonald Chapel at a glance
| Land area | 1.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 35224) | $42,639 |
| Median home value (ZIP 35224) | $80,036 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 168 to 484. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 6.8 a year in 2016–19, 10.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about McDonald Chapel
How common are truck crashes in McDonald Chapel?
Jefferson County has had 6,305 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,535 people and killing 141.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in McDonald Chapel?
Since 2015, I-59 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of McDonald Chapel: 11.
When do most truck crashes happen in McDonald Chapel?
Truck crashes in Jefferson County peak in March, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in McDonald Chapel?
185 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in McDonald Chapel compared with Alabama?
Per 100,000 residents, Jefferson County has 81.9 truck crashes a year; Alabama has 80.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in McDonald Chapel?
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.