Appalachia, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Appalachia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Appalachia and Wise County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Wise County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 175 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Wise County compares with Virginia
Wise County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wise County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wise County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 43.2 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 15% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.8 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 31% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.66 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 53% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.2% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 22.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.9% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.0% | 39.8% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 24.1% | 24.3% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Virginia, Wise County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Wise County at a glance: 1 in 83 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.2%, vs 2.5% in Virginia.
Overview
Wise County has recorded 175 truck crashes since 2015, with 113 people injured and 3 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 24 days.
Appalachia had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Wise County numbers.
77% of truck crash reports in Wise County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (13.1% of the year) and are lowest in July (5.1%).
November through March accounts for 47.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 39.8% in Virginia.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 10.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 4.2% of truck crashes, compared with 3.0% in Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Appalachia since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-600 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 2.5% in Virginia.
Route planning tips for Appalachia fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 4.2% of truck crashes here, more than Virginia; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Wise County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-600 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wise County) |
|---|---|
| SR-23 | 49 |
| SR-58A | 15 |
| Rt. 23 | 11 |
| Rt. 652 | 5 |
| Rt.23/ Orby Cantrell Hwy | 4 |
| Route 23 North | 3 |
| Rt. 58A | 3 |
| SR-646 | 3 |
Appalachia at a glance
| Population | 1,376 |
| Land area | 3.4 sq mi |
| Density | 400 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 24216) | $37,795 |
| Median home value (ZIP 24216) | $51,867 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wise 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 | 20 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 26 | +25% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 21 | -18% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 14 | -33% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 20 to 14. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Appalachia
How common are truck crashes in Appalachia?
175 truck crashes have been reported in Wise County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 113 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Appalachia?
March has the most truck crashes in Wise County, 13.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Appalachia?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Wise County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How does Appalachia compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Wise County has 43.2 truck crashes a year; Virginia has 51.1.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Appalachia?
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.