Carter County, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Carter County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 178 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Carter County compares with Tennessee
Carter County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carter County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Carter County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.8 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 57% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.9% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 2.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.5% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 2.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.5% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.2% | 40.5% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 17.8% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 31% below the state |
Carter County has lower values than Tennessee for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Tennessee on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Carter County: 1 in 20 crashes involve a garbage truck (8 since 2015), vs 1.9% across Tennessee.
Overview
Police reported 178 crashes involving commercial trucks in Carter County since 2015: 69 people were injured and 7 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 25 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is September with 15.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 3.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.2% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across Tennessee.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (10.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 5.5% of truck crashes, compared with 2.3% in Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-19E had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come US-321 (2), CR-BUCK Mountain Rd (1) and SR-362 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 8 crashes, 4.5% of the total, against 1.9% across Tennessee.
Route planning tips for Carter County fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-19E, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 5.5% of truck crashes here, more than Tennessee; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Carter County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Carter County) |
|---|---|
| US-19E | 4 |
| US-321 | 2 |
| CR-BUCK Mountain Rd | 1 |
| SR-362 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Carter County) |
|---|---|
| SR-19E | 33 |
| SR-321 | 18 |
| US-19E | 15 |
| US-321 | 11 |
| W Elk Ave | 10 |
| Piney Flats Rd | 6 |
| Simerly Creek Rd | 6 |
| Broad St | 4 |
Carter County at a glance
| Population | 57,434 |
| Land area | 341.3 sq mi |
| Density | 168 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $51,580 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Carter 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 | 5 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 8 | +82% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 12 | +42% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 17 | +38% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 5 to 17. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Carter County
ZIP codes in Carter County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Carter County
How many truck accidents are there in Carter County?
Carter County has had 178 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 69 people and killing 7.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Carter County?
NHTSA data shows US-19E with 4 fatal large-truck crashes in Carter County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Carter County?
September has the most truck crashes in Carter County, 15.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Carter County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 8 reported crashes in Carter County since 2015 (4.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Carter County compare with Tennessee?
The yearly rate is 25.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Carter County, vs 60.1 for Tennessee.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Carter County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.