ZIP 24153 (Salem, VA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 24153: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Roanoke County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 942 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Roanoke County compares with Virginia
Roanoke County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Roanoke County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Roanoke County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 82.5 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 64% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.5% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.9% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 21% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.5% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.5% | 39.8% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 28.1% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Roanoke 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.
Roanoke County at a glance: 1 in 110 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.9%, against 2.5% for Virginia.
Overview
Roanoke County has recorded 942 truck crashes since 2015, with 336 people injured and 27 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 5 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.3% of the year) and are lowest in December (6.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.5% of truck crashes, against 39.8% across Virginia.
The busiest hour is 5–6 pm, with 7.1% of truck crashes.
3.5% 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 (11). It is followed by US-11 (2), Roanoke Blvd (1) and SR-311 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
8 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.8% share (Virginia: 2.5%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 24153 fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, 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 3.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Virginia), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Roanoke County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 11 |
| US-11 | 2 |
| Roanoke Blvd | 1 |
| SR-311 | 1 |
| SR-419 | 1 |
| US-221 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Roanoke County) |
|---|---|
| I-81 | 310 |
| Franklin Rd | 77 |
| I-81 North | 52 |
| I-81 South | 35 |
| Challenger Ave | 30 |
| West Main St | 27 |
| I-81Sb | 19 |
| Plantation Rd | 17 |
ZIP 24153 at a glance
| Population | 38,914 |
| Density | 148 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $74,260 |
| Median home value | $264,965 |
| Home ownership | 71% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Roanoke 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 | 29 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 48 | +67% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 54 | +13% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 104 | +93% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 29 a year in the 1990s and 104 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 24153
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 24153?
942 truck crashes have been reported in Roanoke County since 2015, with 27 deaths and 336 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 24153?
NHTSA data shows I-81 with 11 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 24153 since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 24153?
Truck crashes in Roanoke County peak in October, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 24153?
Garbage trucks were involved in 8 reported crashes in Roanoke County since 2015 (0.8% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 24153 compare with Virginia?
Roanoke County records 82.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 51.1 across Virginia.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 24153?
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.