Mercer, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mercer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mercer and Madison County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Madison County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 1,275 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Madison County compares with Tennessee
Madison County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Madison County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Madison County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 109.0 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.5 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 66% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.2% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 7% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.5% | 21.8% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.9% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 21% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.4% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Tennessee, Madison 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.
The headline for Madison County: 1 in 152 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.7%, vs 1.9% in Tennessee.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,275 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Madison County. They injured 685 people and killed 70.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Mercer since 2015, this page uses Madison County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
38% of truck crash reports in Madison County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.3% of the year) and are lowest in September (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 42.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.5% in Tennessee.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.2% of truck crashes, compared with 2.3% in Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-40 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). After it: SR-100 (2), US-70 (2) and CR-VILDO Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 0.6%, compared with 1.9% in Tennessee.
Route planning tips for Mercer fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-40; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Madison County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 7 |
| SR-100 | 2 |
| US-70 | 2 |
| CR-VILDO Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Madison County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 729 |
| Ramp | 46 |
| Highway 45 Byp | 46 |
| S Highland Ave | 38 |
| US-45 | 25 |
| SR-45S | 23 |
| Airways Blvd | 19 |
| US-70 | 18 |
Mercer at a glance
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 38392) | $51,477 |
| Median home value (ZIP 38392) | $60,624 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Madison 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 | 29 | — | 3.4 |
| 2000s | 54 | +85% | 3.8 |
| 2010s | 92 | +71% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 110 | +19% | 4.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 29 a year in the 1990s and 110 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Mercer
How many truck accidents are there in Mercer?
Since 2015, 1,275 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Madison County (685 injured, 70 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Mercer?
I-40 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Mercer since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Mercer?
Truck crashes in Madison County peak in March, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Mercer?
Garbage trucks were involved in 8 reported crashes in Madison County since 2015 (0.6% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Mercer compare with Tennessee?
Madison County records 109.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.1 across Tennessee.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Mercer?
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.