Rhea County, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rhea County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 166 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rhea County compares with Tennessee
Rhea County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rhea County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rhea County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.8 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 34% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 1.9% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 100% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.5% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 30% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.5% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.1% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 42% below the state |
Compared with Tennessee, Rhea County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher injuries per crash.
Rhea County at a glance: 0.0% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Tennessee: 2.3%).
Overview
Police reported 166 crashes involving commercial trucks in Rhea County since 2015: 86 people were injured and 6 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 26 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (12.7% of the year) and are lowest in June (5.4%).
November through March accounts for 39.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.5% in Tennessee.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 10.2% of truck crashes.
0.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.3% across Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
SR-68 leads in Rhea County with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-30 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (Tennessee: 1.9%).
Route planning tips for Rhea County fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Rhea County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-68; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Rhea County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Rhea County) |
|---|---|
| SR-68 | 5 |
| SR-30 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rhea County) |
|---|---|
| Rhea County Hwy | 49 |
| Wassom Memorial Hwy | 20 |
| Old Washington Hwy | 13 |
| Dayton Mountain Hwy | 9 |
| Watts Bar Hwy | 7 |
| SR-68 | 7 |
| Old Dixie Hwy | 5 |
| Ogden Rd | 4 |
Rhea County at a glance
| Population | 34,759 |
| Land area | 315.5 sq mi |
| Density | 110 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $55,369 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rhea 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 | 9 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 11 | +18% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 12 | +9% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 13 | +7% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 9 to 13. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Rhea County
ZIP codes in Rhea County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Rhea County
How common are truck crashes in Rhea County?
Since 2015, 166 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rhea County (86 injured, 6 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Rhea County?
SR-68 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Rhea County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Rhea County?
The worst month is July: 12.7% of truck crashes in Rhea County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Rhea County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Rhea County since 2015 (2.4% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Rhea County compared with Tennessee?
Rhea County records 39.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.1 across Tennessee.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Rhea County?
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.