Buncombe County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Buncombe 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
1.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Buncombe County compares with North Carolina
Buncombe County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Buncombe County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Buncombe County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 69.0 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 44% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.2% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.9% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.1% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with North Carolina, Buncombe County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Buncombe County at a glance: I-40 most fatal truck crashes in Buncombe County: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Buncombe County has recorded 2,209 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,125 people injured and 31 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 9.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 7.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.4% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 8.3% of truck crashes.
2.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads in Buncombe County with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-19 (4), I-26 (3) and US-70 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 78 of the truck crashes here, or 3.5%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Their busiest month is October, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.3 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Buncombe County fleets
- Build extra time into May routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Buncombe County.
- With 2.5% 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
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 Buncombe County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Buncombe County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 7 |
| US-19 | 4 |
| I-26 | 3 |
| US-70 | 3 |
| SR-63 | 2 |
| I-240 | 1 |
| SR-191 | 1 |
| SR-81 | 1 |
| Ssr-1368 Lee Creek Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1380 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Buncombe County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 17 |
| Biltmore Ave | 10 |
| I-26 | 10 |
| Ta Truck Stop | 10 |
| Sand Hill Rd | 8 |
| Hendersonville Rd | 8 |
| US-25 | 6 |
| T/A Truck Stop | 6 |
Buncombe County at a glance
| Population | 279,210 |
| Land area | 656.5 sq mi |
| Density | 425 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $74,957 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Buncombe 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 | 37 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 115 | +207% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 169 | +47% | 2.5 |
| 2020s | 182 | +8% | 2.8 |
In the 1990s about 37 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 182. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Buncombe County
ZIP codes in Buncombe County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Buncombe County
How many truck crashes happen in Buncombe County?
Since 2015, 2,209 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Buncombe County (1,125 injured, 31 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Buncombe County?
NHTSA data shows I-40 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes in Buncombe County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Buncombe County?
The worst month is May: 9.4% of truck crashes in Buncombe County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Buncombe County?
Since 2015, Buncombe County has reported 78 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Buncombe County compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 69.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Buncombe County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Buncombe County?
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.