Lakeland, TN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lakeland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lakeland and Shelby County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Shelby County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Shelby County compares with Tennessee
Shelby County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Shelby County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Shelby County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 50.8 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 15% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.7% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.2% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 48% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.6% | 14.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.0% | 25.9% | 24.8% | same |
Shelby County has lower values than Tennessee for crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Lakeland: I-40 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Lakeland: 20 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 5,377 crashes involving commercial trucks in Shelby County since 2015: 3,109 people were injured and 238 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
With 134 truck crashes reported in Lakeland since 2015, this page uses Shelby County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (9.1% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.8% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across Tennessee.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.0% of truck crashes.
1.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 2.3% across Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Lakeland is I-40, with 20 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-14 (3), SR-177 (1) and Yale Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
139 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.6% share (Tennessee: 1.9%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.2 deaths compared with 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Lakeland fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Shelby County.
- Look at alternatives to I-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Shelby County.
- 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 Shelby County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 20 |
| SR-14 | 3 |
| SR-177 | 1 |
| Yale Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Shelby County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 813 |
| I-240 | 407 |
| Lamar Ave | 331 |
| I-55 | 267 |
| E Shelby Dr | 234 |
| Winchester Rd | 111 |
| Getwell Rd | 61 |
| Shelby Dr | 61 |
Lakeland at a glance
| Population | 14,416 |
| Land area | 23.5 sq mi |
| Density | 613 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 38002) | $116,895 |
| Median home value (ZIP 38002) | $398,176 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Shelby 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 | 24 | — | 13.2 |
| 2000s | 384 | +1525% | 10.0 |
| 2010s | 510 | +33% | 11.1 |
| 2020s | 424 | -17% | 19.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 24 to 424. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 15.8 a year in 2016–19 and 19.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lakeland
How many truck accidents are there in Lakeland?
5,377 truck crashes have been reported in Shelby County since 2015, with 238 deaths and 3,109 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lakeland?
Since 2015, I-40 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lakeland: 20.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Lakeland?
The worst month is May: 9.1% of truck crashes in Shelby County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Lakeland?
Garbage trucks were involved in 139 reported crashes in Shelby County since 2015 (2.6% of truck crashes).
How does Lakeland compare with Tennessee for truck crashes?
Shelby County records 50.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.1 across Tennessee.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Lakeland?
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.