Bell Buckle, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bell Buckle: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bell Buckle and Bedford County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Bedford County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 244 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Bedford County compares with Tennessee
Bedford County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bedford County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Bedford County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.9 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 35% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 9.5 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.9% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 63% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.4% | 21.8% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.1% | 14.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.1% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 30% below the state |
Bedford County sits below Tennessee on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Bedford County at a glance: 9.5 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Tennessee: 3.9).
Overview
Since 2015, 244 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Bedford County. They injured 145 people and killed 22.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 17 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Bell Buckle since 2015, this page uses Bedford County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
48% of truck crash reports in Bedford County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (11.5% of the year) and are lowest in October (5.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.7% of truck crashes, vs 40.5% for Tennessee.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 9.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Tennessee: 2.3%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-24 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). After it: US-231 (4), CR-CHRISTIANA Hoovers Gap Rd (1) and CR-PANHANDLE Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 7 of the truck crashes here, or 2.9%, compared with 1.9% in Tennessee.
Route planning tips for Bell Buckle fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Bedford County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-24; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.4% of truck crashes here, more than Tennessee; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Bedford County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-24 | 6 |
| US-231 | 4 |
| CR-CHRISTIANA Hoovers Gap Rd | 1 |
| CR-PANHANDLE Rd | 1 |
| CR-WALDEN Ridge Rd | 1 |
| SR-437 | 1 |
| SR-82 | 1 |
| US-41 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bedford County) |
|---|---|
| US-231 | 19 |
| SR-231N | 18 |
| Madison St | 16 |
| SR-64W | 12 |
| Us-41-Alt | 11 |
| SR-82E | 7 |
| Tn-64 | 7 |
| Highway 41An | 6 |
Bell Buckle at a glance
| Population | 423 |
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Density | 829 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 37020) | $86,034 |
| Median home value (ZIP 37020) | $348,784 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bedford 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 | 6 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 14 | +137% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 16 | +13% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 22 | +44% | 1.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 22. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bell Buckle
How many truck crashes happen in Bell Buckle?
Since 2015, 244 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Bedford County (145 injured, 22 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Bell Buckle?
I-24 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Bell Buckle since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Bell Buckle?
The worst month is March: 11.5% of truck crashes in Bedford County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Bell Buckle?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Bedford County since 2015 (2.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Bell Buckle compared with Tennessee?
Per 100,000 residents, Bedford County has 38.9 truck crashes a year; Tennessee has 60.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Bell Buckle?
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.