Karns, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Karns: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Karns and Knox County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Knox County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Knox County compares with Tennessee
Knox County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Knox County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Knox County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.6 | 60.1 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 28% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 10% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.3% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 43% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.9% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.7% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.9% | 25.9% | 24.8% | same |
Knox County sits below Tennessee on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Karns: I-40 deadliest road: 15 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Karns since 2015.
Overview
Knox County has recorded 3,331 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,450 people injured and 87 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Karns since 2015; patterns below come from Knox County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 9.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.7% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across Tennessee.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (6.9%).
Road surface: 1.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Tennessee: 2.3%).
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads within 10 miles of Karns with 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-75 (5), SR-169 (4) and SR-131 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
62 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.9% share (Tennessee: 1.9%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (15% of them).
They recorded 3.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Karns fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Knox County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-40; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Knox County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 15 |
| I-75 | 5 |
| SR-169 | 4 |
| SR-131 | 3 |
| I-275 | 2 |
| SR-170 | 2 |
| SR-61 | 2 |
| CR-CANTON Hollow Rd | 1 |
| CR-WESTLAND Dr | 1 |
| CR-YARNELL Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Knox County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 1,136 |
| I-75 | 183 |
| I-640 | 114 |
| I-40 West | 94 |
| I-40 East | 73 |
| Lovell Rd | 48 |
| Asheville Hwy | 46 |
| Interstate 40 East | 40 |
Karns at a glance
| Land area | 3.0 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 37931) | $92,150 |
| Median home value (ZIP 37931) | $356,512 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Knox 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 | 34 | — | 6.5 |
| 2000s | 162 | +381% | 5.6 |
| 2010s | 220 | +36% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 311 | +42% | 8.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 34 to 311. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 6.0 a year in 2016–19, 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Karns
How many truck crashes happen in Karns?
Knox County has had 3,331 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,450 people and killing 87.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Karns?
Since 2015, I-40 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Karns: 15.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Karns?
October has the most truck crashes in Knox County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Karns?
Since 2015, Knox County has reported 62 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Karns compared with Tennessee?
The yearly rate is 56.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Knox County, vs 60.1 for Tennessee.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Karns?
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.