ZIP 35453 (Cottondale, AL) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 35453: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Tuscaloosa 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Tuscaloosa County compares with Alabama
Tuscaloosa County against Alabama and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Tuscaloosa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 89.5 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 35% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 35% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 0.8% | 6.2% | 43% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.6% | 22.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.3% | 12.3% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.1% | 23.7% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Alabama, Tuscaloosa County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Alabama on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark.
The headline for Tuscaloosa County: 1 in 68 crashes involve a garbage truck (37 since 2015), vs 2.3% across Alabama.
Overview
Tuscaloosa County has recorded 2,530 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,167 people injured and 55 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in January (7.5%).
November through March accounts for 40.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Alabama.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (7.1%).
0.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.8% across Alabama.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 35453 since 2015: I-59 (3), Us-Sr 7 (3), Us-Sr 6 (2), CR-CRESCENT Ridge Rd Ne (1) and CR-JACK Warner Pkwy (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
37 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.5% share (Alabama: 2.3%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (16% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 35453 fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Tuscaloosa County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Tuscaloosa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 3 |
| Us-Sr 7 | 3 |
| Us-Sr 6 | 2 |
| CR-CRESCENT Ridge Rd Ne | 1 |
| CR-JACK Warner Pkwy | 1 |
| CR-SWINDLE Rd | 1 |
| Holt Rd | 1 |
| SR-216 | 1 |
| SR-7 | 1 |
| US-11 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Tuscaloosa County) |
|---|---|
| I-59 | 1,097 |
| Mcfarland Blvd | 124 |
| US-82 | 121 |
| Al-69 | 103 |
| US-11 | 67 |
| US-43 | 54 |
| Al-216 | 48 |
| Al-171 | 32 |
ZIP 35453 at a glance
| Population | 12,620 |
| Density | 54 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $68,533 |
| Median home value | $209,254 |
| Home ownership | 87% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Tuscaloosa 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 | 116 | — | 5.7 |
| 2000s | 202 | +75% | 5.0 |
| 2010s | 204 | +1% | 4.6 |
| 2020s | 198 | -3% | 3.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 116 to 198. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 35453
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 35453?
2,530 truck crashes have been reported in Tuscaloosa County since 2015, with 55 deaths and 1,167 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 35453?
The worst month is August: 10.1% of truck crashes in Tuscaloosa County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 35453?
37 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Tuscaloosa County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 35453 compared with Alabama?
Per 100,000 residents, Tuscaloosa County has 89.5 truck crashes a year; Alabama has 80.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 35453?
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.