Athens, OH truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Athens: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Athens and Athens County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Athens County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 186 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Athens County compares with Ohio
Athens County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Athens County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Athens County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.3 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 50% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 2.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.2% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.0% | 7.8% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.3% | 21.4% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.2% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 25% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 42.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.4% | 25.8% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Ohio, Athens County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Athens County: 1 in 16 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.2%, against 2.5% for Ohio.
Overview
Since 2015, 186 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Athens County. They injured 74 people and killed 13.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 23 days.
Athens had 31 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Athens County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (11.3% of the year) and are lowest in May (4.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.9% of truck crashes, vs 42.3% for Ohio.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 10.2% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 8.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Ohio: 7.8%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Athens is US-33, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-50 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
12 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.5% share (Ohio: 2.5%).
Route planning tips for Athens fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-33, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Athens County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-33 | 5 |
| US-50 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Athens County) |
|---|---|
| US-33 | 65 |
| US-50 | 44 |
| SR-13 | 10 |
| SR-550 | 5 |
| SR-144 | 4 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| Court St | 3 |
| SR-32 | 3 |
Athens at a glance
| Population | 24,824 |
| Land area | 9.9 sq mi |
| Density | 2,496 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 45701) | $53,075 |
| Median home value (ZIP 45701) | $226,905 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Athens 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 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 14 | -5% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 17 | +24% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 14 | -17% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 15 a year in the 1990s and 14 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Athens
How common are truck crashes in Athens?
Athens County has had 186 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 74 people and killing 13.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Athens?
Since 2015, US-33 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Athens: 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Athens?
Truck crashes in Athens County peak in July, with 11.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Athens?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Athens County since 2015 (6.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Athens compare with Ohio?
Athens County records 25.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 50.8 across Ohio.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Athens?
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.