Jefferson City, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Jefferson City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Jefferson City and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
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 sits below Tennessee on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher 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 crashes involve a garbage truck (7 since 2015), vs 1.9% across 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.
Jefferson City had 24 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Jefferson County numbers.
67% of truck crash reports in Jefferson County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 11.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 5.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.5% for Tennessee.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Tennessee: 2.3%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-40 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (10). Next come US-11E (2), I-81 (1) and US-25W (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.9% share (Tennessee: 1.9%).
Route planning tips for Jefferson City fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Jefferson County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-40; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 3.1% of truck crashes here, more than Tennessee; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 10 |
| US-11E | 2 |
| 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 City at a glance
| Population | 9,013 |
| Land area | 7.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,285 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 37760) | $66,190 |
| Median home value (ZIP 37760) | $238,835 |
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. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Jefferson City
How common are truck crashes in Jefferson City?
766 truck crashes have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, with 25 deaths and 380 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Jefferson City?
Since 2015, I-40 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Jefferson City: 10.
When do most truck crashes happen in Jefferson City?
The worst month is August: 11.7% of truck crashes in Jefferson County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Jefferson City?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Jefferson County since 2015 (0.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Jefferson City compared with Tennessee?
Jefferson County records 110.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.1 across Tennessee.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Jefferson City?
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.