ZIP 35206 (Birmingham, AL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 35206: 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 |
Compared with Alabama, Jefferson County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Alabama on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for ZIP 35206: I-59 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 35206: 9 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 6,305 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 2,535 people were injured and 141 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 9.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 7.3%.
November through March accounts for 41.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Alabama.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 6.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Alabama: 0.8%).
Where crashes happen
I-59 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 35206 with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-65 (8), I-20 (6) and SR-79 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 185 of the truck crashes here, or 2.9%, compared with 2.3% in Alabama.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (13% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.3, vs 2.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 35206 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-59 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 9 |
| I-65 | 8 |
| I-20 | 6 |
| SR-79 | 5 |
| I-459 | 4 |
| University Blvd | 2 |
| 1st Ave N | 1 |
| 24th St N | 1 |
| 4th Ave S | 1 |
| Bankhead Hwy | 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 35206 at a glance
| Population | 15,621 |
| Density | 600 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $42,549 |
| Median home value | $154,789 |
| Home ownership | 49% |
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 |
In the 1990s about 168 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 484. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 6.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 10.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 35206
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 35206?
Jefferson County has had 6,305 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,535 people and killing 141.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 35206?
Since 2015, I-59 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 35206: 9.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 35206?
Truck crashes in Jefferson County peak in March, with 9.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 35206?
185 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 35206 compare with Alabama for truck crashes?
Jefferson County records 81.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Alabama.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 35206?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.