ZIP 35022 (Bessemer, AL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 35022: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Jefferson 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
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Alabama
Jefferson County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 81.9 | 80.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 38% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.9% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.8% | 0.8% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.3% | 22.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.5% | 12.3% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.8% | 23.7% | 24.8% | same |
Jefferson County has lower values than Alabama for deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
Jefferson County at a glance: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes: 13% of them.
Overview
Police reported 6,305 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 2,535 people were injured and 141 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 9.2% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (7.3%).
November through March accounts for 41.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Alabama.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (6.8%).
Road surface: 0.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Alabama: 0.8%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 35022 since 2015: I-459 (5), I-59 (5), SR-5 (2), 32nd St (1) and CR-OLD Tuscaloosa Hwy (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 185 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 2.3% across Alabama.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (13%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.3 deaths compared with 2.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 35022 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at August schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-459 | 5 |
| I-59 | 5 |
| SR-5 | 2 |
| 32nd St | 1 |
| CR-OLD Tuscaloosa Hwy | 1 |
| Carolina Ave | 1 |
| I-20 | 1 |
| I-65 | 1 |
| Mu-Forest Rd | 1 |
| US-31 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 1,303 |
| I-65 | 1,128 |
| I-459 | 596 |
| I-20 | 495 |
| US-280 | 124 |
| I-22 | 115 |
| US-78 | 74 |
| US-31 | 52 |
ZIP 35022 at a glance
| Population | 23,126 |
| Density | 139 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $81,846 |
| Median home value | $253,351 |
| Home ownership | 77% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 168 | — | 10.0 |
| 2000s | 360 | +114% | 11.5 |
| 2010s | 486 | +35% | 8.7 |
| 2020s | 484 | -0% | 10.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 168 a year in the 1990s and 484 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 6.8 a year in 2016–19, 10.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 35022
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 35022?
Jefferson County has had 6,305 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,535 people and killing 141.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 35022?
March has the most truck crashes in Jefferson County, 9.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 35022?
185 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 35022 compare with Alabama?
The yearly rate is 81.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jefferson County, vs 80.8 for Alabama.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 35022?
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.