Thunderbolt, GA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Thunderbolt: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Thunderbolt and Chatham County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chatham County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Chatham County compares with Georgia
Chatham County against Georgia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chatham County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chatham County | Georgia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 86.3 | 62.4 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.5% | 6.2% | 34% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.8% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.6% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 33% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.6% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.0% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 35% below the state |
Compared with Georgia, Chatham County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Georgia on crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Thunderbolt: US-17 deadliest road: 7 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Thunderbolt since 2015.
Overview
Chatham County has recorded 3,164 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,650 people injured and 90 killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Only 3 truck crashes were reported in Thunderbolt since 2015; patterns below come from Chatham County as a whole.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 10.5% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (7.2%).
November through March accounts for 39.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.9% in Georgia.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.7%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.3% of truck crashes, compared with 0.5% in Georgia.
Where crashes happen
US-17 leads within 10 miles of Thunderbolt with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-16 (3), SR-21 (2) and Cs-E Victory Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
80 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.5% share (Georgia: 2.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in June (12% of them).
They recorded 1.4 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Thunderbolt fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-17 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in June; review collection routes for that month.
- 25.8% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Georgia; 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
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 Chatham County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-17 | 7 |
| I-16 | 3 |
| SR-21 | 2 |
| Cs-E Victory Dr | 1 |
| E Bay St | 1 |
| E President St | 1 |
| Mu-7 White Bluff Rd | 1 |
| SR-25 | 1 |
| SR-307 | 1 |
| US-80 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chatham County) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 22 |
| SR-80 | 19 |
| SR-21 | 17 |
| Dean Forest Rd | 15 |
| I-16 | 14 |
| I 95 At I 16 | 8 |
| I-95 North / I-16 | 8 |
| Jimmy Deloach Pkwy / Morgan Lakes Ind Blvd | 8 |
Thunderbolt at a glance
| Population | 2,536 |
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,888 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chatham 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 | 127 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 163 | +28% | 4.1 |
| 2010s | 180 | +10% | 3.6 |
| 2020s | 313 | +74% | 5.2 |
In the 1990s about 127 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 313. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 3.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Thunderbolt
How common are truck crashes in Thunderbolt?
Since 2015, 3,164 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Chatham County (1,650 injured, 90 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Thunderbolt?
US-17 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Thunderbolt since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Thunderbolt?
August has the most truck crashes in Chatham County, 10.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Thunderbolt?
80 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Chatham County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
How does Thunderbolt compare with Georgia for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 86.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Chatham County, vs 62.4 for Georgia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Thunderbolt?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.