Matthews, GA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Matthews: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Matthews and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 171 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Georgia
Jefferson County against Georgia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Georgia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 97.5 | 62.4 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.1 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.66 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 77% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.2% | 0.5% | 6.2% | 2.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.9% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.0% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 26% below the state |
Jefferson County sits below Georgia on garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Jefferson County: 1.2% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 0.5% across Georgia.
Overview
Since 2015, 171 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Jefferson County. They injured 111 people and killed 14.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 25 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Matthews since 2015, this page uses Jefferson County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
54% of truck crash reports in Jefferson County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in April (11.7% of the year) and are lowest in November (5.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.9% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Georgia.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.8%).
1.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.5% across Georgia.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Matthews is US-1, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-4 (1), SR-540 (1) and SR-580 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 0.6% of the total, against 2.6% across Georgia.
Route planning tips for Matthews fleets
- Review driver schedules for April, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-1, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 1.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Georgia), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-1 | 2 |
| SR-4 | 1 |
| SR-540 | 1 |
| SR-580 | 1 |
| SR-88 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| Sr 4 / Sr 24 | 3 |
| Ga 4 By-Pass | 2 |
| Ga 4 Near Spurgon Road | 2 |
| S Main St / Broad St | 2 |
| SR-88 | 2 |
| Sr 296 / Rob Street | 2 |
| Sr 4 / Sr 296 | 2 |
| Sr 4 / Walnut St | 2 |
Matthews at a glance
| Land area | 3.5 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 30818) | $54,784 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 15 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 10 | -30% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 11 | +6% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 15 | +35% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 15 a year in the 1990s and 15 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 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Matthews
How many truck crashes happen in Matthews?
Jefferson County has had 171 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 111 people and killing 14.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Matthews?
NHTSA data shows US-1 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Matthews since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Matthews?
The worst month is April: 11.7% of truck crashes in Jefferson County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Matthews?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Jefferson County since 2015 (0.6% of truck crashes).
How does Matthews compare with Georgia for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Jefferson County has 97.5 truck crashes a year; Georgia has 62.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Matthews?
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.