Buena Vista, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Buena Vista: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Buena Vista and Rockbridge County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Rockbridge County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 1,003 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rockbridge County compares with Virginia
Rockbridge County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rockbridge County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rockbridge County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 376.8 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 7.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 83% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.9% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.2% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.7% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.2% | 39.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.0% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Rockbridge County has lower values than Virginia for garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
Rockbridge County at a glance: 1 in 233 crashes involve a garbage truck (4 since 2015), vs 2.5% across Virginia.
Overview
Police reported 1,003 crashes involving commercial trucks in Rockbridge County since 2015: 498 people were injured and 26 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Buena Vista had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Rockbridge County numbers.
87% of truck crash reports in Rockbridge County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in September (11.5% of the year) and are lowest in February (6.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.2% of truck crashes, against 39.8% across Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (8.1%).
4.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.0% across Virginia.
Where crashes happen
I-81 leads within 10 miles of Buena Vista with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-11 (1), US-130 (1) and US-60 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 0.4% of the total, against 2.5% across Virginia.
Route planning tips for Buena Vista fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-81 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 4.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Virginia), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Rockbridge County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 4 |
| US-11 | 1 |
| US-130 | 1 |
| US-60 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rockbridge County) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 491 |
| Nb I-81 | 37 |
| I-81 South | 31 |
| I-81 North | 25 |
| I-64 | 25 |
| Sb I-81 | 24 |
| Interstate 81 North | 22 |
| Interstate 81 South | 20 |
Buena Vista at a glance
| Population | 6,581 |
| Land area | 6.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,022 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 24416) | $54,882 |
| Median home value (ZIP 24416) | $157,329 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rockbridge 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 | 48 | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 63 | +32% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 64 | +1% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 95 | +48% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 48 a year in the 1990s and 95 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Buena Vista
How common are truck crashes in Buena Vista?
Since 2015, 1,003 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rockbridge County (498 injured, 26 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Buena Vista?
I-81 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Buena Vista since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Buena Vista?
Truck crashes in Rockbridge County peak in September, with 11.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Buena Vista?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Rockbridge County since 2015 (0.4% of truck crashes).
How does Buena Vista compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
Rockbridge County records 376.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 51.1 across Virginia.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Buena Vista?
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.