Petal, MS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Petal: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Petal and Forrest County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Forrest County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
15 of 663 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Forrest County compares with Mississippi
Forrest County against Mississippi and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Forrest County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Forrest County | Mississippi | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 72.0 | 65.0 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 5.1 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.54 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.2% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.2% | 23.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.6% | 12.5% | 13.8% | 7% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.1% | 40.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 24.3% | 24.0% | 24.8% | same |
Forrest County sits below Mississippi on in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Mississippi on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Forrest County: 2.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 1.7% in Mississippi.
Overview
Police reported 663 crashes involving commercial trucks in Forrest County since 2015: 352 people were injured and 30 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 6 days in fully reported years.
With 39 truck crashes reported in Petal since 2015, this page uses Forrest County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.9% of the year) and are lowest in October (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.1% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Mississippi.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
2.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across Mississippi.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Petal since 2015: I-59 (8), US-49 (8), SR-29 (3), US-98 (2) and Mu-Main St (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 15 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 1.6% in Mississippi.
Route planning tips for Petal fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 2.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Mississippi; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Forrest County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 8 |
| US-49 | 8 |
| SR-29 | 3 |
| US-98 | 2 |
| Mu-Main St | 1 |
| S Main Street | 1 |
| SR-42 | 1 |
| US-11 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Forrest County) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 41 |
| US-49 | 20 |
| SR-49 | 11 |
| SR-98 | 7 |
| Jm Tatum Industrial Drive | 6 |
| Broadway Drive | 4 |
| James Street | 4 |
| Lincoln Rd | 4 |
Petal at a glance
| Population | 11,538 |
| Land area | 16.9 sq mi |
| Density | 682 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 39465) | $74,035 |
| Median home value (ZIP 39465) | $170,691 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Forrest 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 | 19 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 43 | +128% | 2.6 |
| 2010s | 47 | +9% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 56 | +20% | 3.0 |
In the 1990s about 19 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 56. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 2.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Petal
How many truck crashes happen in Petal?
663 truck crashes have been reported in Forrest County since 2015, with 30 deaths and 352 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Petal?
Truck crashes in Forrest County peak in March, with 10.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Petal?
15 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Forrest County since 2015, 2.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Petal compare with Mississippi?
Per 100,000 residents, Forrest County has 72.0 truck crashes a year; Mississippi has 65.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Petal?
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.