Clay County, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Clay 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
5 of 48 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Clay County compares with Tennessee
Clay County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Clay County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Clay County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.2 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 11% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.7 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.57 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 8.7% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 4.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.3% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 1.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.2% | 14.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 58.7% | 40.5% | 41.9% | 1.4× the state |
| After dark | 28.3% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Clay County sits below Tennessee on crashes per 100k residents / yr. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Clay County: 1 in 11 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 8.7%, vs 1.9% in Tennessee.
Overview
Clay County has recorded 48 truck crashes since 2015, with 27 people injured and 4 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 87 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (20.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (0.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 58.7% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across Tennessee.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (14.6%).
4.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.3% across Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Clay County since 2015: SR-51 (2), CR-BAKERTON Rd (1) and SR-52 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 10.4% share (Tennessee: 1.9%).
Route planning tips for Clay County fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- With 4.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Tennessee), 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
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 Clay County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Clay County) |
|---|---|
| SR-51 | 2 |
| CR-BAKERTON Rd | 1 |
| SR-52 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Clay County) |
|---|---|
| Clay County Hwy | 17 |
| Gainesboro Hwy | 4 |
| Tompkinsville Hwy | 3 |
| Clementsville Rd | 2 |
| Happy Springs Rd | 2 |
| Mccormick Ridge Rd | 2 |
| SR-52 | 2 |
| Bakerton Rd | 1 |
Clay County at a glance
| Population | 7,857 |
| Land area | 236.5 sq mi |
| Density | 33 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $40,056 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Clay 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 | 1 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 3 | +200% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 4 | +27% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 4 | +10% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 1 truck crash a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 4. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Clay County
ZIP codes in Clay County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Clay County
How common are truck crashes in Clay County?
Since 2015, 48 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Clay County (27 injured, 4 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Clay County?
March has the most truck crashes in Clay County, 20.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Clay County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Clay County since 2015 (10.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Clay County compare with Tennessee?
The yearly rate is 53.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Clay County, vs 60.1 for Tennessee.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Clay County?
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.