Atlanta, GA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Atlanta: 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
2.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Atlanta compares with Georgia
Atlanta against Georgia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Atlanta stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Atlanta | Georgia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 76.1 | 62.4 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 55% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 17% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.5% | 6.2% | 40% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.2% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.2% | 11.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.9% | 24.5% | 24.8% | same |
Atlanta sits below Georgia on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
Atlanta at a glance: +239% yearly reported truck crashes went from 82 in the 2000s to 278 in the 2010s.
Overview
Since 2015, 4,840 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Atlanta. They injured 2,362 people and killed 71.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (7.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Georgia.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 8.0% of truck crashes.
0.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.5% across Georgia.
Where crashes happen
I-285 leads within 15 miles of Atlanta with 68 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-75 (30), I-20 (25) and I-85 (17).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 107 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.6% across Georgia.
Their busiest month is July, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 2.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Atlanta fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-285, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Atlanta
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-285 | 68 |
| I-75 | 30 |
| I-20 | 25 |
| I-85 | 17 |
| SR-6 | 11 |
| SR-70 | 11 |
| SR-14 | 5 |
| SR-138 | 4 |
| SR-279 | 4 |
| US-23 | 4 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Atlanta) |
|---|---|
| I-285 | 26 |
| I-20 Eb Near I-285 | 19 |
| I-285 N At Milepost 9.00 | 17 |
| I-285 North | 16 |
| I-20 East / I-285 | 15 |
| I-285 S At Milepost 11.00 | 14 |
| Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy Nw | 14 |
| I-20 | 14 |
Atlanta at a glance
| Population | 520,070 |
| Land area | 135.3 sq mi |
| Density | 3,844 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Atlanta 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 | 260 | — | 11.6 |
| 2000s | 49 | -81% | 9.7 |
| 2010s | 278 | +465% | 10.9 |
| 2020s | 473 | +70% | 12.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 260 to 473. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 14.2 a year in 2016–19 and 12.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Atlanta
How common are truck crashes in Atlanta?
Atlanta has had 4,840 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,362 people and killing 71.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Atlanta?
I-285 had 68 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Atlanta since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Atlanta?
August has the most truck crashes in Atlanta, 9.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Atlanta?
107 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Atlanta since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Atlanta compare with Georgia?
Per 100,000 residents, Atlanta has 76.1 truck crashes a year; Georgia has 62.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Atlanta?
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.