Decatur County, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Decatur 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
4 of 171 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Decatur County compares with Tennessee
Decatur County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Decatur County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Decatur County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 120.2 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.4 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.9% | 21.8% | 23.7% | 18% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.0% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.7% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.0% | 25.9% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Tennessee, Decatur County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Tennessee on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Decatur County: 6.4 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.9 across Tennessee.
Overview
Since 2015, 171 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Decatur County. They injured 88 people and killed 10.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 26 days.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 12.9% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (4.1%).
November through March accounts for 41.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.5% in Tennessee.
More truck crashes happen at 6–7 am than at any other hour (11.7%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 2.3% in Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Decatur County since 2015: I-40 (3). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 1.9% in Tennessee.
Route planning tips for Decatur County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 Decatur County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Decatur County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Decatur County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 91 |
| SR-641N | 8 |
| SR-641S | 7 |
| SR-641 | 7 |
| SR-100W | 6 |
| SR-412E | 5 |
| Exit 126 | 4 |
| US-412 | 4 |
Decatur County at a glance
| Population | 11,800 |
| Land area | 333.9 sq mi |
| Density | 35 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $47,603 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Decatur 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 | 8 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 8 | +2% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 13 | +52% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 16 | +23% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 16 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Decatur County
ZIP codes in Decatur County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Decatur County
How common are truck crashes in Decatur County?
Decatur County has had 171 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 88 people and killing 10.
When do most truck crashes happen in Decatur County?
October has the most truck crashes in Decatur County, 12.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Decatur County?
Since 2015, Decatur County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.3% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Decatur County compare with Tennessee?
The yearly rate is 120.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Decatur County, vs 60.1 for Tennessee.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Decatur 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.