Tuscaloosa, AL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Tuscaloosa: 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
18 of 627 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Tuscaloosa compares with Alabama
Tuscaloosa against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Tuscaloosa stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Tuscaloosa | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 47.5 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 41% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 26% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 79% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.3% | 22.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.4% | 12.3% | 13.8% | 24% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.8% | 23.7% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Compared with Alabama, Tuscaloosa is lower 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).
Tuscaloosa at a glance: I-59 most fatal truck crashes within 15 miles of Tuscaloosa: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 627 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Tuscaloosa. They injured 244 people and killed 15.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 7 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 10.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is October at 6.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.9% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Alabama.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Alabama: 0.8%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-59 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). It is followed by Us-Sr 6 (5), SR-69 (3) and Us-Sr 7 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 18 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 2.3% across Alabama.
Route planning tips for Tuscaloosa fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Tuscaloosa.
- Check whether your routes use I-59, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 24.3% of truck crashes here, more than Alabama; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Tuscaloosa
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 7 |
| Us-Sr 6 | 5 |
| SR-69 | 3 |
| Us-Sr 7 | 3 |
| I-359 | 2 |
| CR-CRESCENT Ridge Rd Ne | 1 |
| CR-JACK Warner Pkwy | 1 |
| CR-JOE Mallisham Pkwy | 1 |
| CR-SWINDLE Rd | 1 |
| Holt Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Tuscaloosa) |
|---|---|
| Mcfarland Blvd | 35 |
| Skyland Blvd | 28 |
| I-359 | 26 |
| Al-69 | 23 |
| Greensboro Ave | 20 |
| 15Th St | 18 |
| I-59 | 15 |
| 15Th Street | 15 |
Tuscaloosa at a glance
| Population | 114,288 |
| Land area | 62.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,828 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Tuscaloosa 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 | 2 | — | 5.7 |
| 2000s | 0 | -88% | 5.0 |
| 2010s | 37 | +18250% | 4.6 |
| 2020s | 48 | +31% | 3.6 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 48. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Tuscaloosa
How many truck accidents are there in Tuscaloosa?
627 truck crashes have been reported in Tuscaloosa since 2015, with 15 deaths and 244 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Tuscaloosa?
I-59 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Tuscaloosa since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Tuscaloosa?
The worst month is March: 10.8% of truck crashes in Tuscaloosa happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Tuscaloosa?
Garbage trucks were involved in 18 reported crashes in Tuscaloosa since 2015 (2.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Tuscaloosa compare with Alabama?
Tuscaloosa records 47.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Alabama.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Tuscaloosa?
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.