ZIP 38002 (Arlington, TN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 38002: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Shelby 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
2.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Shelby County compares with Tennessee
Shelby County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Shelby County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Shelby County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 50.8 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 15% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.7% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.2% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 48% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.6% | 14.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.0% | 25.9% | 24.8% | same |
Shelby County has lower values than Tennessee for crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Tennessee on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
ZIP 38002 at a glance: I-40 deadliest road: 13 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 38002 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 5,377 crashes involving commercial trucks in Shelby County since 2015: 3,109 people were injured and 238 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 9.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 7.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.8% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across Tennessee.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (7.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.2% of truck crashes, compared with 2.3% in Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 38002 with 13 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-14 (3) and Yale Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
139 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.6% share (Tennessee: 1.9%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.2 deaths compared with 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 38002 fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-40; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at August schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Shelby County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 13 |
| SR-14 | 3 |
| Yale Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Shelby County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 813 |
| I-240 | 407 |
| Lamar Ave | 331 |
| I-55 | 267 |
| E Shelby Dr | 234 |
| Winchester Rd | 111 |
| Getwell Rd | 61 |
| Shelby Dr | 61 |
ZIP 38002 at a glance
| Population | 43,882 |
| Density | 146 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $116,895 |
| Median home value | $398,176 |
| Home ownership | 84% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Shelby 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 | 24 | — | 13.2 |
| 2000s | 384 | +1525% | 10.0 |
| 2010s | 510 | +33% | 11.1 |
| 2020s | 424 | -17% | 19.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 24 a year in the 1990s and 424 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 15.8 a year in 2016–19 and 19.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 38002
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 38002?
Shelby County has had 5,377 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,109 people and killing 238.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 38002?
NHTSA data shows I-40 with 13 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 38002 since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 38002?
May has the most truck crashes in Shelby County, 9.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 38002?
Since 2015, Shelby County has reported 139 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 38002 compare with Tennessee?
Per 100,000 residents, Shelby County has 50.8 truck crashes a year; Tennessee has 60.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 38002?
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.