Jefferson County, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Jefferson 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
7 of 766 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Tennessee
Jefferson County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 110.5 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 10% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.48 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 50% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.1% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.2% | 21.8% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.0% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 34.7% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Jefferson County has lower values than Tennessee for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Tennessee on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Jefferson County: 1 in 103 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.0%, vs 1.9% in Tennessee.
Overview
Police reported 766 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 380 people were injured and 25 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 11.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 5.2%.
November through March accounts for 40.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.5% in Tennessee.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
3.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.3% across Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Jefferson County is I-40, with 11 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-11E (3), CR-SANDY Ridge Rd (1) and I-81 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 0.9% of the total, against 1.9% across Tennessee.
Route planning tips for Jefferson County fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 3.1% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Tennessee), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 11 |
| US-11E | 3 |
| CR-SANDY Ridge Rd | 1 |
| I-81 | 1 |
| US-25W | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 448 |
| I-81 | 125 |
| W Highway 11E | 20 |
| S Highway 92 | 16 |
| Roy Messer Hwy | 11 |
| SR-411 | 7 |
| Old Dandridge Pke | 6 |
| US-25W | 6 |
Jefferson County at a glance
| Population | 59,217 |
| Land area | 275.2 sq mi |
| Density | 215 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $68,017 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 36 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 31 | -15% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 50 | +63% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 72 | +45% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 36 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 72. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Jefferson County
ZIP codes in Jefferson County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Jefferson County
How common are truck crashes in Jefferson County?
766 truck crashes have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, with 25 deaths and 380 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Jefferson County?
NHTSA data shows I-40 with 11 fatal large-truck crashes in Jefferson County since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Jefferson County?
Truck crashes in Jefferson County peak in August, with 11.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Jefferson County?
Since 2015, Jefferson County has reported 7 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Jefferson County compare with Tennessee?
The yearly rate is 110.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jefferson County, vs 60.1 for Tennessee.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Jefferson 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.