Sugar Mountain, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sugar Mountain: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sugar Mountain and Avery County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Avery County numbers.
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
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 stands out for higher on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Avery County: 10.0% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Overview
Police reported 116 crashes involving commercial trucks in Avery County since 2015: 73 people were injured and 1 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 36 days.
Only 15 truck crashes were reported in Sugar Mountain since 2015; patterns below come from Avery County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (14.7% of the year) and are lowest in December (4.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.4% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 12.9% of truck crashes.
10.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Sugar Mountain since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-194 (1) and US-19E (1).
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 Sugar Mountain fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Avery County.
- With 10.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-194 | 1 |
| US-19E | 1 |
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 |
Sugar Mountain at a glance
| Population | 382 |
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
| Density | 155 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28646) | $76,736 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sugar Mountain
How many truck accidents are there in Sugar Mountain?
Since 2015, 116 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Avery County (73 injured, 1 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Sugar Mountain?
The worst month is January: 14.7% of truck crashes in Avery County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Sugar Mountain?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Avery County since 2015 (0.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Sugar Mountain compared with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 56.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Avery County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Sugar Mountain?
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.