Bristol, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bristol: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bristol and Bristol city, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Bristol city numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 135 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Bristol city compares with Virginia
Bristol city against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bristol city stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Bristol city | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 70.2 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 38% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 38% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.2% | 3.0% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.1% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.6% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.2% | 39.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 29.4% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Virginia, Bristol city is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar).
What stands out in Bristol city: December 15.6% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Bristol city has recorded 135 truck crashes since 2015, with 65 people injured and 2 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 32 days in fully reported years.
Bristol had 135 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Bristol city numbers.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 15.6% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.2% of truck crashes, vs 39.8% for Virginia.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 10.4% of truck crashes.
3.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.0% across Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-81 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by CR-0670 (1), SR-75 (1) and US-11W (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.5% share (Virginia: 2.5%).
Route planning tips for Bristol fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Bristol city.
- Check whether your routes use I-81, 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 Bristol city
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 3 |
| CR-0670 | 1 |
| SR-75 | 1 |
| US-11W | 1 |
| West State Street | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bristol city) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 46 |
| I-81 North | 15 |
| I-81 South | 14 |
| Gate City Hwy | 3 |
| Commonwealth Ave | 2 |
| Exit 7 Southbound Off Ramp | 2 |
| I - 81 South | 2 |
| I-381 | 2 |
Bristol at a glance
| Population | 16,316 |
| Land area | 12.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,268 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bristol city 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 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 10 | +10% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 10 | +7% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 13 | +24% | 0.0 |
In the 1990s about 9 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 13. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bristol
How many truck accidents are there in Bristol?
135 truck crashes have been reported in Bristol city since 2015, with 2 deaths and 65 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Bristol?
I-81 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Bristol since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Bristol?
December has the most truck crashes in Bristol city, 15.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bristol?
Since 2015, Bristol city has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.5% of its truck crashes.
How does Bristol compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 70.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Bristol city, vs 51.1 for Virginia.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Bristol?
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.