Salem, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Salem: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Salem and Salem city, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Salem city numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 121 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Salem city compares with Virginia
Salem city against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Salem city stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Salem city | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.7 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 20% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 35% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.6% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 15% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 22.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.5% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 36% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.5% | 39.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.3% | 24.3% | 24.8% | same |
Salem city has lower values than Virginia for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Salem: I-81 10 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Salem.
Overview
Salem city has recorded 121 truck crashes since 2015, with 49 people injured and 2 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 35 days.
With 121 truck crashes reported in Salem since 2015, this page uses Salem city numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is April with 11.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is October at 5.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.5% of truck crashes, vs 39.8% for Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (10.7%).
2.6% 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 Salem with 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-460 (3), US-11 (2) and Glade View (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 2.5% across Virginia.
Route planning tips for Salem fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Salem city.
- Look at alternatives to I-81 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Salem city
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 10 |
| US-460 | 3 |
| US-11 | 2 |
| Glade View | 1 |
| Mu-149 Washington Ave | 1 |
| Roanoke Blvd | 1 |
| SR-311 | 1 |
| SR-419 | 1 |
| US-220 | 1 |
| US-221 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Salem city) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 46 |
| West Main Street | 7 |
| W Main St | 6 |
| Apperson Drive | 4 |
| Electric Rd | 4 |
| I-81 North | 4 |
| Electric Road | 3 |
| W. Main St | 3 |
Salem at a glance
| Population | 25,908 |
| Land area | 14.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,785 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Salem 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 | 2 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 4 | +94% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 7 | +92% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 12 | +67% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Salem
How many truck crashes happen in Salem?
Salem city has had 121 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 49 people and killing 2.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Salem?
Since 2015, I-81 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Salem: 10.
When do most truck crashes happen in Salem?
Truck crashes in Salem city peak in April, with 11.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Salem?
Since 2015, Salem city has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Salem compared with Virginia?
The yearly rate is 40.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Salem city, vs 51.1 for Virginia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Salem?
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.