Helena, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Helena: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Helena 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 |
Compared with Alabama, Shelby County is lower on 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).
The headline for Helena: I-459 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Helena: 5 since 2015.
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.
Only 21 truck crashes were reported in Helena since 2015; patterns below come from Shelby County as a whole.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 38.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Alabama.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.6% of truck crashes, compared with 0.8% in Alabama.
Where crashes happen
I-459 leads within 10 miles of Helena with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-65 (4), CR-11 (2) and 32nd St (1).
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%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Helena fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-459, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 24.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Alabama.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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) |
|---|---|
| I-459 | 5 |
| I-65 | 4 |
| CR-11 | 2 |
| 32nd St | 1 |
| CR-OLD Tuscaloosa Hwy | 1 |
| Carolina Ave | 1 |
| I-20 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 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 |
Helena at a glance
| Population | 22,200 |
| Land area | 22.3 sq mi |
| Density | 994 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 35080) | $118,344 |
| Median home value (ZIP 35080) | $315,470 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Helena
How many truck crashes happen in Helena?
Since 2015, 1,467 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Shelby County (576 injured, 30 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Helena?
I-459 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Helena since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Helena?
October has the most truck crashes in Shelby County, 9.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Helena?
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 Helena compared with Alabama?
Per 100,000 residents, Shelby County has 53.6 truck crashes a year; Alabama has 80.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Helena?
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.