Columbus, MS truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Columbus: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Columbus and Lowndes County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lowndes County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 386 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lowndes County compares with Mississippi
Lowndes County against Mississippi and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lowndes County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lowndes County | Mississippi | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 58.0 | 65.0 | 49.7 | 11% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.4 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 14% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.54 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.3% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 2.0× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.2% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.6% | 23.7% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.1% | 12.5% | 13.8% | 19% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.6% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 14.8% | 24.0% | 24.8% | 38% below the state |
Lowndes County sits below Mississippi on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Lowndes County: 1 in 30 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.3%, vs 1.6% in Mississippi.
Overview
Police reported 386 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lowndes County since 2015: 218 people were injured and 17 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
Columbus had 147 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lowndes County numbers.
27% of truck crash reports in Lowndes County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 14.8% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 38.6% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Mississippi.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 9.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.2% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in Mississippi.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Columbus is US-45, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-82 (2), Mu-Main St (1) and SR-12 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 12 of the truck crashes here, or 3.1%, compared with 1.6% in Mississippi.
Route planning tips for Columbus fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lowndes County.
- Look at alternatives to US-45 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 29.6% of truck crashes here, more than Mississippi; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 2.2% of truck crashes here, more than Mississippi; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Lowndes County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-45 | 4 |
| US-82 | 2 |
| Mu-Main St | 1 |
| SR-12 | 1 |
| SR-96 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lowndes County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 45 North | 11 |
| SR-45 | 8 |
| US-45A | 7 |
| SR-82 | 7 |
| Main Street | 6 |
| US-45 | 5 |
| Gardner Blvd | 4 |
| Industrial Park Rd | 4 |
Columbus at a glance
| Population | 22,820 |
| Land area | 25.1 sq mi |
| Density | 910 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lowndes 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 | 21 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 30 | +42% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 32 | +7% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 32 | -1% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 21 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 32. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Columbus
How many truck crashes happen in Columbus?
386 truck crashes have been reported in Lowndes County since 2015, with 17 deaths and 218 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Columbus?
NHTSA data shows US-45 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Columbus since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Columbus?
September has the most truck crashes in Lowndes County, 14.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Columbus?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Lowndes County since 2015 (3.1% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Columbus compared with Mississippi?
Per 100,000 residents, Lowndes County has 58.0 truck crashes a year; Mississippi has 65.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Columbus?
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.