Shelby County, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Shelby County: 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Shelby County compares with Alabama
Shelby County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Shelby County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Shelby County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.6 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 34% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 38% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.6% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 29% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.2% | 22.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.8% | 12.3% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.7% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.0% | 23.7% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Shelby County sits below Alabama on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Alabama on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Shelby County: 2.1 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.4 in Alabama.
Overview
Shelby County has recorded 1,467 truck crashes since 2015, with 576 people injured and 30 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.5% of the year) and are lowest in December (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 38.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Alabama.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 8.0% of truck crashes.
0.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.8% across Alabama.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Shelby County since 2015: I-65 (4), US-280 (4), Us-Sr 38 (4), SR-25 (3) and CR-11 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
40 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.7% share (Alabama: 2.3%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (12%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 2.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Shelby County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Shelby County.
- 24.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Alabama; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Shelby County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Shelby County) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 4 |
| US-280 | 4 |
| Us-Sr 38 | 4 |
| SR-25 | 3 |
| CR-11 | 2 |
| SR-145 | 2 |
| Us-Sr 3 | 2 |
| CR-DUNNAVANT Valley Rd | 1 |
| SR-76 | 1 |
| US-31 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Shelby County) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 490 |
| US-280 | 206 |
| US-31 | 101 |
| Al-25 | 93 |
| Pelham Parkway | 43 |
| Al-119 | 30 |
| Al-70 | 18 |
| Cahaba Valley Road | 17 |
Shelby County at a glance
| Population | 235,969 |
| Land area | 785.5 sq mi |
| Density | 300 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $100,962 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Shelby 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 | 53 | — | 4.0 |
| 2000s | 100 | +90% | 2.9 |
| 2010s | 117 | +17% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 118 | +1% | 2.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 53 to 118. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 2.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Shelby County
ZIP codes in Shelby County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Shelby County
How common are truck crashes in Shelby County?
Shelby County has had 1,467 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 576 people and killing 30.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Shelby County?
The worst month is October: 9.5% of truck crashes in Shelby County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Shelby County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 40 reported crashes in Shelby County since 2015 (2.7% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Shelby County compared with Alabama?
Shelby County records 53.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Alabama.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Shelby County?
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.