Charleston, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Charleston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Charleston 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 sits below Tennessee on in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Charleston: I-75 8 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Charleston.
Overview
McMinn County has recorded 583 truck crashes since 2015, with 304 people injured and 28 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 7 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Charleston 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
The worst month is August with 11.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 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 (8). Next come SR-306 (2), US-11 (2) and SR-60 (1).
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 Charleston fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in McMinn County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-75; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 | 8 |
| SR-306 | 2 |
| US-11 | 2 |
| SR-60 | 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 |
Charleston at a glance
| Population | 910 |
| Land area | 1.1 sq mi |
| Density | 793 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 37309) | $63,699 |
| Median home value (ZIP 37309) | $174,890 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 22 a year in the 1990s and 57 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Charleston
How common are truck crashes in Charleston?
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 Charleston?
NHTSA data shows I-75 with 8 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Charleston since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Charleston?
August has the most truck crashes in McMinn County, 11.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Charleston?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in McMinn County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Charleston compared with Tennessee?
McMinn County records 87.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.1 across Tennessee.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Charleston?
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.