Scottdale, GA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Scottdale: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Scottdale and DeKalb County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use DeKalb County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How DeKalb County compares with Georgia
DeKalb County against Georgia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where DeKalb County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | DeKalb County | Georgia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 82.0 | 62.4 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 52% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.5% | 6.2% | 43% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.3% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 15% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.8% | 11.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.6% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.3% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Georgia, DeKalb County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Georgia on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
The headline for Scottdale: 1.9× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Scottdale (7.5 → 14.4).
Overview
Police reported 7,519 crashes involving commercial trucks in DeKalb County since 2015: 3,492 people were injured and 116 were killed.
That averages about 2 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Scottdale since 2015; patterns below come from DeKalb County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (9.2% of the year) and are lowest in December (7.6%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.6% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Georgia.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 6.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Georgia: 0.5%).
Where crashes happen
I-285 leads within 10 miles of Scottdale with 29 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-85 (18), I-20 (14) and I-75 (6).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 143 crashes, 1.9% of the total, against 2.6% across Georgia.
Their busiest month is July, with 13% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.3, vs 1.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Scottdale fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in DeKalb County.
- Look at alternatives to I-285 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 DeKalb County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-285 | 29 |
| I-85 | 18 |
| I-20 | 14 |
| I-75 | 6 |
| US-23 | 3 |
| SR-10 | 2 |
| SR-141 | 2 |
| Burns Road | 1 |
| CR-044200 | 1 |
| CR-085100/NORTHERN Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (DeKalb County) |
|---|---|
| I-285 | 266 |
| I-20 | 37 |
| I 285 Or At I 285 Ir | 36 |
| I 285 N At I 20 | 29 |
| I 285 Ir At I 285 Or | 23 |
| I-285 Or | 23 |
| I-20 West | 22 |
| I 20 W At I 20 | 22 |
Scottdale at a glance
| Land area | 3.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 30079) | $82,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 30079) | $359,368 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in DeKalb 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 | 366 | — | 6.1 |
| 2000s | 413 | +13% | 5.6 |
| 2010s | 449 | +9% | 5.4 |
| 2020s | 710 | +58% | 10.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 366 a year in the 1990s and 710 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 5.8 a year in 2016–19, 10.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Scottdale
How many truck accidents are there in Scottdale?
7,519 truck crashes have been reported in DeKalb County since 2015, with 116 deaths and 3,492 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Scottdale?
Since 2015, I-285 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Scottdale: 29.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Scottdale?
The worst month is August: 9.2% of truck crashes in DeKalb County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Scottdale?
Garbage trucks were involved in 143 reported crashes in DeKalb County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Scottdale compared with Georgia?
DeKalb County records 82.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.4 across Georgia.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Scottdale?
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.