Ellijay, GA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ellijay: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ellijay and Gilmer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Gilmer County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 151 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Gilmer County compares with Georgia
Gilmer County against Georgia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Gilmer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Gilmer County | Georgia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.9 | 62.4 | 49.7 | 39% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.80 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.6× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.7% | 0.5% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.1% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.3% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.6% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.7% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Gilmer County sits below Georgia on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Gilmer County: 0.7% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 0.5% across Georgia.
Overview
Since 2015, 151 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Gilmer County. They injured 115 people and killed 4.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 29 days.
Ellijay had 28 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Gilmer County numbers.
60% of truck crash reports in Gilmer County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (11.9% of the year) and are lowest in December (5.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.6% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Georgia.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 12.6% of truck crashes.
0.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.5% across Georgia.
Where crashes happen
SR-52 leads within 10 miles of Ellijay with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: CR-LEGION Road (1), SR-2 (1) and SR-5 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 2.6% in Georgia.
Route planning tips for Ellijay fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-52; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 0.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Georgia; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Gilmer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-52 | 2 |
| CR-LEGION Road | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Gilmer County) |
|---|---|
| Ga 52 | 2 |
| Ga 52 Near Ga 52 Ramp | 2 |
| Ga 52 Near Ridgemont Drive | 2 |
| Ga Hwy 515 At First Avenue | 2 |
| Highland Xing | 2 |
| Industrial Blvd Maddox Drive | 2 |
| Browns Mill Rd Se Near Zip Industrial Blvd Se | 1 |
| Burnt Mountain Rd Near Dickerson Dr | 1 |
Ellijay at a glance
| Population | 1,923 |
| Land area | 3.6 sq mi |
| Density | 535 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 30539) | $26,950 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Gilmer 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 | 10 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 15 | +47% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 10 | -31% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 17 | +63% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 10 to 17. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ellijay
How common are truck crashes in Ellijay?
Since 2015, 151 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Gilmer County (115 injured, 4 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Ellijay?
Since 2015, SR-52 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ellijay: 2.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ellijay?
The worst month is February: 11.9% of truck crashes in Gilmer County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ellijay?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Gilmer County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ellijay compared with Georgia?
Gilmer County records 37.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.4 across Georgia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ellijay?
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.