Athens, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Athens: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Athens and McMinn County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McMinn County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 583 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How McMinn County compares with Tennessee
McMinn County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McMinn County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McMinn County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 87.0 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.48 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.2% | 2.3% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.3% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.8% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 21% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 36.3% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
McMinn County has lower values than Tennessee for in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Athens: I-75 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Athens since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 583 crashes involving commercial trucks in McMinn County since 2015: 304 people were injured and 28 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
With 121 truck crashes reported in Athens since 2015, this page uses McMinn County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
60% of truck crash reports in McMinn County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 11.7% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (5.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.4% of truck crashes, vs 40.5% for Tennessee.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 6.7% of truck crashes.
2.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.3% across Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-75 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). After it: SR-30 (3), US-11 (3) and SR-305 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 12 of the truck crashes here, or 2.1%, compared with 1.9% in Tennessee.
Route planning tips for Athens fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-75, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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 McMinn County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 5 |
| SR-30 | 3 |
| US-11 | 3 |
| SR-305 | 2 |
| CR-750 | 1 |
| US-411 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McMinn County) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 341 |
| Decatur Pke | 18 |
| SR-163 | 17 |
| SR-68 | 8 |
| SR-307 | 8 |
| SR-11 | 8 |
| John J Duncan Pkwy | 7 |
| Decatur Pike | 6 |
Athens at a glance
| Population | 15,050 |
| Land area | 15.6 sq mi |
| Density | 967 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McMinn 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 | 22 | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 23 | +4% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 37 | +60% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 57 | +55% | 2.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 22 to 57. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Athens
How common are truck crashes in Athens?
583 truck crashes have been reported in McMinn County since 2015, with 28 deaths and 304 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Athens?
I-75 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Athens since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Athens?
Truck crashes in McMinn County peak in August, with 11.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Athens?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in McMinn County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
How does Athens compare with Tennessee for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, McMinn County has 87.0 truck crashes a year; Tennessee has 60.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Athens?
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.