Meridian, MS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Meridian: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Meridian and Lauderdale County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lauderdale County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 917 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lauderdale County compares with Mississippi
Lauderdale County against Mississippi and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lauderdale County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lauderdale County | Mississippi | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 110.6 | 65.0 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.54 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.7% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.7% | 23.7% | 23.7% | 17% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.1% | 12.5% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.4% | 24.0% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Lauderdale County has lower values than Mississippi for injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Meridian at a glance: 2.7× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Meridian: 1.5 in 2016–19, 4.0 in 2020–24.
Overview
Lauderdale County has recorded 917 truck crashes since 2015, with 440 people injured and 50 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 5 days in fully reported years.
Only 345 truck crashes were reported in Meridian since 2015; patterns below come from Lauderdale County as a whole.
21% of truck crash reports in Lauderdale County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.9% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.7% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Mississippi.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.8%).
Road surface: 2.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Mississippi: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
I-20 leads within 10 miles of Meridian with 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-59 (3), SR-19 (3) and North Frontage Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
16 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.7% share (Mississippi: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Meridian fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-20 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 2.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Mississippi), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lauderdale County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-20 | 15 |
| I-59 | 3 |
| SR-19 | 3 |
| North Frontage Rd | 1 |
| Old 8th St Rd | 1 |
| SR-39 | 1 |
| SR-494 | 1 |
| US-45 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lauderdale County) |
|---|---|
| I-20 | 55 |
| Will Garrett Rd | 16 |
| Will Garrett Road | 9 |
| Old Hwy 80 | 8 |
| I-59 | 8 |
| Russell Mt Gilead | 5 |
| Frontage Road | 5 |
| Exit 153 | 4 |
Meridian at a glance
| Population | 33,549 |
| Land area | 53.7 sq mi |
| Density | 624 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lauderdale 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 | — | 2.9 |
| 2000s | 50 | +168% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 64 | +28% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 82 | +29% | 4.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 19 to 82. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.8 a year in 2016–19 and 4.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Meridian
How many truck crashes happen in Meridian?
917 truck crashes have been reported in Lauderdale County since 2015, with 50 deaths and 440 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Meridian?
Since 2015, I-20 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Meridian: 15.
When do most truck crashes happen in Meridian?
January has the most truck crashes in Lauderdale County, 10.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Meridian?
Garbage trucks were involved in 16 reported crashes in Lauderdale County since 2015 (1.7% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Meridian compared with Mississippi?
Lauderdale County records 110.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 65.0 across Mississippi.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Meridian?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.