Waleska, GA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Waleska: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Waleska and Cherokee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cherokee 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 2.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Cherokee County compares with Georgia
Cherokee County against Georgia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cherokee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cherokee County | Georgia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 28.6 | 62.4 | 49.7 | 54% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 27% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 32% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.5% | 6.2% | 53% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.7% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.8% | 11.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.6% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.5% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 21% below the state |
Compared with Georgia, Cherokee County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Cherokee County: 1 in 13 garbage-truck share of crashes is 7.5%, against 2.6% for Georgia.
Overview
Police reported 1,000 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cherokee County since 2015: 344 people were injured and 23 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Waleska had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Cherokee County numbers.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 10.5% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (5.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.6% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across Georgia.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (8.2%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.2% of truck crashes, compared with 0.5% in Georgia.
Where crashes happen
SR-5 leads within 10 miles of Waleska with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-575 (3), SR-108 (2) and CR-1062 Ball Ground Hwy (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
71 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 7.1% share (Georgia: 2.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (13%).
They recorded 1.4 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Waleska fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cherokee County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-5; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- Morning starts matter: 27.7% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Georgia.
- 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 Cherokee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-5 | 4 |
| I-575 | 3 |
| SR-108 | 2 |
| CR-1062 Ball Ground Hwy | 1 |
| East Main Street | 1 |
| SR-0005 | 1 |
| SR-20 | 1 |
| SR-515 | 1 |
| SR-61 | 1 |
| US-411 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cherokee County) |
|---|---|
| SR-92 | 12 |
| I 75 S At Milepost 276.00 | 9 |
| Knox Bridge Hwy | 8 |
| Cumming Hwy | 6 |
| I 75 N At Milepost 276.00 | 6 |
| E Cherokee | 5 |
| Cumming | 5 |
| Ball Ground Rd | 5 |
Waleska at a glance
| Population | 978 |
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Density | 573 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 30183) | $94,567 |
| Median home value (ZIP 30183) | $454,473 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cherokee 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 | 54 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 72 | +34% | 2.5 |
| 2010s | 62 | -13% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 95 | +52% | 2.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 54 a year in the 1990s and 95 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 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Waleska
How common are truck crashes in Waleska?
1,000 truck crashes have been reported in Cherokee County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 344 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Waleska?
Since 2015, SR-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Waleska: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Waleska?
The worst month is October: 10.5% of truck crashes in Cherokee County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Waleska?
Since 2015, Cherokee County has reported 71 garbage-truck crashes, or 7.1% of its truck crashes.
How does Waleska compare with Georgia for truck crashes?
Cherokee County records 28.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.4 across Georgia.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Waleska?
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.