Dalton, GA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dalton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dalton and Whitfield County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Whitfield County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Whitfield County compares with Georgia
Whitfield County against Georgia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Whitfield County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Whitfield County | Georgia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 84.6 | 62.4 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 15% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 0.5% | 6.2% | 13% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.9% | 11.4% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.1% | 40.9% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.0% | 24.5% | 24.8% | same |
Whitfield County has lower values than Georgia for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Dalton: I-75 7 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Dalton.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,071 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Whitfield County. They injured 486 people and killed 35.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Dalton had 333 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Whitfield County numbers.
53% of truck crash reports in Whitfield County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (6.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.1% of truck crashes, against 40.9% across Georgia.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 8.0% of truck crashes.
0.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.5% across Georgia.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-75 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). Next come SR-3 (4), SR-286 (2) and SR-52 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 24 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.6% across Georgia.
Their busiest month is July, with 25% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.5 deaths compared with 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Dalton fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-75; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Whitfield County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 7 |
| SR-3 | 4 |
| SR-286 | 2 |
| SR-52 | 2 |
| SR-71 | 2 |
| CR-034900 | 1 |
| CR-100 Dug Gap Rd | 1 |
| SR-040100 | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| SR-201 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Whitfield County) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 14 |
| I-75N | 7 |
| I-75 N Mm324 Near Carbondale Rd | 6 |
| I-75 Sb Mm 327 | 6 |
| I-75 Sb Mm 332 | 6 |
| I-75 Sb Mm 324 | 5 |
| I-75 Sb Mm 337 | 5 |
| I 75Sb Mm327 | 4 |
Dalton at a glance
| Population | 34,970 |
| Land area | 21.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,641 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Whitfield 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 | 82 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 90 | +9% | 3.4 |
| 2010s | 73 | -18% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 93 | +27% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 82 a year in the 1990s and 93 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dalton
How many truck crashes happen in Dalton?
Since 2015, 1,071 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Whitfield County (486 injured, 35 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Dalton?
NHTSA data shows I-75 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Dalton since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dalton?
July has the most truck crashes in Whitfield County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Dalton?
Garbage trucks were involved in 24 reported crashes in Whitfield County since 2015 (2.2% of truck crashes).
How does Dalton compare with Georgia for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Whitfield County has 84.6 truck crashes a year; Georgia has 62.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Dalton?
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.