ZIP 38503 (Cookeville, TN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 38503: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Putnam 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
10 of 878 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Putnam County compares with Tennessee
Putnam County against Tennessee and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Putnam County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Putnam County | Tennessee | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 86.2 | 60.1 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.48 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 36% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.9% | 2.3% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.8% | 21.8% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.9% | 14.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.9% | 40.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.6% | 25.9% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Tennessee, Putnam County is lower on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Putnam County at a glance: 3.9% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 2.3% in Tennessee.
Overview
Police reported 878 crashes involving commercial trucks in Putnam County since 2015: 421 people were injured and 36 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.6% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (6.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.9% of truck crashes, against 40.5% across Tennessee.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 8.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Tennessee: 2.3%).
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 38503 with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-111 (4), SR-135 (2) and Buffalo Valley Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 10 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 1.9% in Tennessee.
Route planning tips for ZIP 38503 fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 3.9% of truck crashes here, more than Tennessee; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Putnam County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 9 |
| SR-111 | 4 |
| SR-135 | 2 |
| Buffalo Valley Rd | 1 |
| CR-SHIPLEY Rd | 1 |
| SR-136 | 1 |
| US-70N | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Putnam County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 582 |
| Ramp | 34 |
| E Spring St | 16 |
| SR-111S | 13 |
| S Jefferson Ave | 13 |
| S Willow Ave | 10 |
| Monterey Hwy | 7 |
| E 10Th St | 7 |
ZIP 38503 at a glance
| Population | 0 |
| Density | 0 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Putnam 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 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 35 | +46% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 54 | +52% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 82 | +53% | 3.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 24 to 82. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 38503
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 38503?
Since 2015, 878 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Putnam County (421 injured, 36 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 38503?
Since 2015, I-40 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 38503: 9.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 38503?
July has the most truck crashes in Putnam County, 10.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 38503?
Since 2015, Putnam County has reported 10 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.1% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 38503 compared with Tennessee?
The yearly rate is 86.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Putnam County, vs 60.1 for Tennessee.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 38503?
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.