Chelsea, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chelsea: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chelsea and Shelby County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Shelby County numbers.
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 has lower values than Alabama for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Chelsea at a glance: Us-Sr 38 4 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Chelsea.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,467 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Shelby County. They injured 576 people and killed 30.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
Chelsea had 23 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Shelby County numbers.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (6.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.7% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Alabama.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.6% of truck crashes, compared with 0.8% in Alabama.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, Us-Sr 38 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). It is followed by US-280 (3), CR-11 (2) and I-65 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
40 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.7% share (Alabama: 2.3%).
Their busiest month is April, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Chelsea fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Shelby County.
- Look at alternatives to Us-Sr 38 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 24.2% of truck crashes here, more than Alabama; adjust start times where you can.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Us-Sr 38 | 4 |
| US-280 | 3 |
| CR-11 | 2 |
| I-65 | 2 |
| CR-DUNNAVANT Valley Rd | 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 |
Chelsea at a glance
| Population | 17,293 |
| Land area | 32.6 sq mi |
| Density | 530 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 35043) | $121,356 |
| Median home value (ZIP 35043) | $366,018 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 53 a year in the 1990s and 118 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chelsea
How many truck crashes happen in Chelsea?
1,467 truck crashes have been reported in Shelby County since 2015, with 30 deaths and 576 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Chelsea?
Since 2015, Us-Sr 38 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chelsea: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Chelsea?
Truck crashes in Shelby County peak in October, with 9.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Chelsea?
40 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Shelby County since 2015, 2.7% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Chelsea compare with Alabama?
The yearly rate is 53.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Shelby County, vs 80.8 for Alabama.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Chelsea?
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.