Blue Ridge, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Blue Ridge: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Blue Ridge and Bedford County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Bedford County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
11 of 330 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Bedford County compares with Virginia
Bedford County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bedford County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Bedford County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.1 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 29% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.4% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.2% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.7% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 21% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.5% | 39.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 18.1% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Compared with Virginia, Bedford County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Blue Ridge at a glance: I-81 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Blue Ridge.
Overview
Since 2015, 330 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Bedford County. They injured 134 people and killed 14.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 12 days.
Blue Ridge had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Bedford County numbers.
88% of truck crash reports in Bedford County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 5.5%.
November through March accounts for 44.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 39.8% in Virginia.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Virginia: 3.0%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Blue Ridge is I-81, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-460 (4), SR-24 (3) and Glade View (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
11 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (Virginia: 2.5%).
Route planning tips for Blue Ridge fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Bedford County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-81; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.2% of truck crashes here, more than Virginia; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 3.4% of truck crashes here, more than Virginia; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Bedford County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 5 |
| US-460 | 4 |
| SR-24 | 3 |
| Glade View | 1 |
| Mu-149 Washington Ave | 1 |
| US-11 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bedford County) |
|---|---|
| SR-460 | 66 |
| SR-122 | 23 |
| SR-221 | 13 |
| SR-24 | 11 |
| Route 460 East | 8 |
| SR-501 | 8 |
| Route 460 West | 6 |
| Rt. 460 | 6 |
Blue Ridge at a glance
| Land area | 6.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 24064) | $73,583 |
| Median home value (ZIP 24064) | $268,742 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bedford 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 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 28 | +16% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 28 | +2% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 29 | +2% | 1.2 |
In the 1990s about 24 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 29. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Blue Ridge
How many truck accidents are there in Blue Ridge?
Bedford County has had 330 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 134 people and killing 14.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Blue Ridge?
NHTSA data shows I-81 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Blue Ridge since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Blue Ridge?
January has the most truck crashes in Bedford County, 12.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Blue Ridge?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Bedford County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How does Blue Ridge compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
Bedford County records 36.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 51.1 across Virginia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Blue Ridge?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.