Chilhowie, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chilhowie: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chilhowie and Smyth County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Smyth County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 514 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Smyth County compares with Virginia
Smyth County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Smyth County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Smyth County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 149.1 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 2.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.2% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 92% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.0% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 14.2% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 37% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 37.9% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 2.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.1% | 39.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.4% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Smyth County sits below Virginia on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Smyth County: 37.9% in rain, sleet or snow, against 14.8% across Virginia.
Overview
Smyth County has recorded 514 truck crashes since 2015, with 202 people injured and 20 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
Chilhowie had 17 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Smyth County numbers.
82% of truck crash reports in Smyth County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 11.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 5.4%.
November through March accounts for 39.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 39.8% in Virginia.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (8.2%).
5.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 3.0% across Virginia.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Chilhowie is I-81, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: CR-600 (1), CR-86 Whitetop Rd (1) and SR-91 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 0.4% of the total, against 2.5% across Virginia.
Route planning tips for Chilhowie fleets
- Build extra time into May routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-81; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 5.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Virginia; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Smyth County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 8 |
| CR-600 | 1 |
| CR-86 Whitetop Rd | 1 |
| SR-91 | 1 |
| US-11 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Smyth County) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 339 |
| Southbound Interstate 81 | 11 |
| SR-11 | 8 |
| I-81 North | 6 |
| I-81 South | 6 |
| Northbound Interstate 81 | 6 |
| SR-16 | 6 |
| SR-107 | 3 |
Chilhowie at a glance
| Population | 1,610 |
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
| Density | 635 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 24319) | $52,721 |
| Median home value (ZIP 24319) | $156,785 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Smyth 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 | 19 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 28 | +46% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 32 | +14% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 54 | +68% | 1.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 19 to 54. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chilhowie
How common are truck crashes in Chilhowie?
Smyth County has had 514 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 202 people and killing 20.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Chilhowie?
NHTSA data shows I-81 with 8 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chilhowie since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Chilhowie?
May has the most truck crashes in Smyth County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Chilhowie?
Since 2015, Smyth County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Chilhowie compared with Virginia?
Smyth County records 149.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 51.1 across Virginia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Chilhowie?
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.