ZIP 38221 (Big Sandy, TN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 38221: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Benton 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 of 332 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Benton County compares with Tennessee
Benton County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Benton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Benton County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 175.4 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 2.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 26% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.48 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.6% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 67% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.5% | 21.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.1% | 14.9% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.8% | 40.5% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 30.1% | 25.9% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Tennessee, Benton County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark.
What stands out in Benton County: 1 in 156 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 1.9% across Tennessee.
Overview
Since 2015, 332 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Benton County. They injured 135 people and killed 9.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 13 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.1%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.5% for Tennessee.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.2%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.9% of truck crashes, compared with 2.3% in Tennessee.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 38221 happened on US-641 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 0.6%, compared with 1.9% in Tennessee.
Route planning tips for ZIP 38221 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 Benton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-641 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Benton County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 231 |
| SR-641S | 23 |
| US-641 | 8 |
| Hwy 70 Byp | 7 |
| US-70 | 7 |
| Birdsong Rd | 6 |
| SR-70E | 5 |
| SR-641N | 4 |
ZIP 38221 at a glance
| Population | 3,098 |
| Density | 11 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $52,714 |
| Median home value | $126,957 |
| Home ownership | 64% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Benton 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 | 12 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 14 | +10% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 22 | +62% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 31 | +41% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 31. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 38221
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 38221?
Since 2015, 332 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Benton County (135 injured, 9 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 38221?
The worst month is January: 12.0% of truck crashes in Benton County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 38221?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Benton County since 2015 (0.6% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 38221 compare with Tennessee for truck crashes?
Benton County records 175.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.1 across Tennessee.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 38221?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.