Avery County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Avery County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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
1 of 116 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Avery County compares with North Carolina
Avery County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Avery County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Avery County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.1 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 8% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 64% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.64 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 65% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.0% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 5.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.4% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.4% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 13.6% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 33% below the state |
Avery County sits below North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. It runs above North Carolina on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar).
What stands out in Avery County: 10.0% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 1.7% in North Carolina.
Overview
Avery County has recorded 116 truck crashes since 2015, with 73 people injured and 1 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 36 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 14.7% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (4.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.4% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 12.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.0% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location in Avery County since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 0.9% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Avery County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 10.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment 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 Avery County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded in Avery County since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Avery County) |
|---|---|
| Branch Water | 1 |
| Crossnore Elementary | 1 |
| Freds General Merchant | 1 |
| Hpp | 1 |
| Linville Fd | 1 |
| Nc 194 | 1 |
| Nc 194 B | 1 |
| Old Mortimer | 1 |
Avery County at a glance
| Population | 17,811 |
| Land area | 247.3 sq mi |
| Density | 72 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $56,676 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Avery 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 | 6 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 6 | -3% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 9 | +60% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 12 | +25% | 0.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 12. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported.
Cities, towns & communities in Avery County
ZIP codes in Avery County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Avery County
How common are truck crashes in Avery County?
Since 2015, 116 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Avery County (73 injured, 1 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Avery County?
Truck crashes in Avery County peak in January, with 14.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Avery County?
Since 2015, Avery County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
How does Avery County compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 56.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Avery County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Avery County?
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.