Emma, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Emma: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Emma and Buncombe County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Buncombe County numbers.
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 |
Buncombe County sits below North Carolina 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.
Emma at a glance: I-40 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Emma: 6 since 2015.
Overview
Buncombe County has recorded 2,209 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,125 people injured and 31 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Emma had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Buncombe County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is May with 9.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 7.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.4% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.5% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-40 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). Next come US-19 (4), I-26 (3) and US-70 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 78 crashes, 3.5% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in October (12%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.3, vs 1.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Emma fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Buncombe County.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in October; review collection routes for that month.
- 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
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 Buncombe County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 6 |
| 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-2416 Bee Tree Rd | 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 |
Emma at a glance
| Land area | 1.1 sq mi |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 37 to 182. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Emma
How many truck crashes happen in Emma?
Buncombe County has had 2,209 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,125 people and killing 31.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Emma?
Since 2015, I-40 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Emma: 6.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Emma?
The worst month is May: 9.4% of truck crashes in Buncombe County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Emma?
Since 2015, Buncombe County has reported 78 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.5% of its truck crashes.
How does Emma compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Buncombe County has 69.0 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Emma?
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.