Smoke Rise, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Smoke Rise: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Smoke Rise 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 has lower values than Alabama for deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Smoke Rise: I-65 deadliest road: 7 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Smoke Rise since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 6,305 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Jefferson County. They injured 2,535 people and killed 141.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Smoke Rise since 2015, this page uses Jefferson County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.4% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Alabama.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (6.8%).
0.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.8% across Alabama.
Where crashes happen
I-65 leads within 10 miles of Smoke Rise with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-79 (2), CR-SKYLINE Dr (1) and US-31 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 185 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 2.3% across Alabama.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (13% of them).
They recorded 2.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Smoke Rise fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-65; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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-65 | 7 |
| SR-79 | 2 |
| CR-SKYLINE Dr | 1 |
| US-31 | 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 |
Smoke Rise at a glance
| Land area | 5.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 35180) | $74,832 |
| Median home value (ZIP 35180) | $197,831 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 168 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 484. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 6.8 a year in 2016–19, 10.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Smoke Rise
How common are truck crashes in Smoke Rise?
Jefferson County has had 6,305 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,535 people and killing 141.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Smoke Rise?
NHTSA data shows I-65 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Smoke Rise since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Smoke Rise?
The worst month is March: 9.2% of truck crashes in Jefferson County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Smoke Rise?
Since 2015, Jefferson County has reported 185 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.9% of its truck crashes.
How does Smoke Rise compare with Alabama for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Jefferson County has 81.9 truck crashes a year; Alabama has 80.8.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Smoke Rise?
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.