Franklin, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Franklin: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Franklin and Macon County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Macon County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 722 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Macon County compares with Alabama
Macon County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Macon County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Macon County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 334.4 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 4.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 71% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 67% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.1% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 14.7% | 22.5% | 23.7% | 35% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.0% | 12.3% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.9% | 40.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 39.7% | 23.7% | 24.8% | 1.7× the state |
Macon County sits below Alabama on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
Macon County at a glance: 39.7% share of truck crashes after dark (Alabama: 23.7%).
Overview
Since 2015, 722 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Macon County. They injured 282 people and killed 8.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
Only 10 truck crashes were reported in Franklin since 2015; patterns below come from Macon County as a whole.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.9% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Alabama.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 6.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.1% 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 Franklin since 2015: I-85 (2), SR-49 (2), CR-56 (1) and I-65 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 0.7% of the total, against 2.3% across Alabama.
Route planning tips for Franklin fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 1.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Alabama; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Macon County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 2 |
| SR-49 | 2 |
| CR-56 | 1 |
| I-65 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Macon County) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 613 |
| US-80 | 36 |
| US-29 | 10 |
| Al-81 | 6 |
| Al-186 | 6 |
| Al-229 | 2 |
| County Road 40 | 2 |
| Cr-10 | 2 |
Franklin at a glance
| Population | 568 |
| Land area | 15.1 sq mi |
| Density | 38 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 36088) | $35,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 36088) | $109,210 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Macon 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 | 20 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 31 | +59% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 43 | +38% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 68 | +57% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 20 a year in the 1990s and 68 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Franklin
How common are truck crashes in Franklin?
Macon County has had 722 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 282 people and killing 8.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Franklin?
Truck crashes in Macon County peak in March, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Franklin?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Macon County since 2015, 0.7% of all truck crashes.
How does Franklin compare with Alabama for truck crashes?
Macon County records 334.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Alabama.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Franklin?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.