Burke County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Burke 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
16 of 652 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Burke County compares with North Carolina
Burke County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Burke County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Burke County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 64.3 | 61.3 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 13% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.8% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.1% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Burke County sits below North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Burke County at a glance: I-40 deadliest road: 8 fatal truck crashes in Burke County since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 652 crashes involving commercial trucks in Burke County since 2015: 400 people were injured and 14 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 11.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.1%.
November through March accounts for 39.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (9.8%).
1.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-40 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (8). After it: US-64 (4), SR-18 (1) and Ssr-1786 Miller Bridge Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 16 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Burke County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-40; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 1.9% 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
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 Burke County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Burke County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 8 |
| US-64 | 4 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| Ssr-1786 Miller Bridge Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Burke County) |
|---|---|
| Burkemont Ave | 11 |
| W Fleming Dr | 10 |
| Sanford Dr | 8 |
| S Sterling St | 7 |
| N Green St | 7 |
| Main St | 7 |
| Kirksey Dr | 5 |
| Carbon City Rd | 4 |
Burke County at a glance
| Population | 88,545 |
| Land area | 506.2 sq mi |
| Density | 175 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $58,589 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Burke 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 | 40 | — | 2.7 |
| 2000s | 47 | +17% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 54 | +15% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 50 | -8% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 40 a year in the 1990s and 50 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Burke County
ZIP codes in Burke County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Burke County
How many truck crashes happen in Burke County?
Burke County has had 652 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 400 people and killing 14.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Burke County?
I-40 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Burke County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Burke County?
The worst month is October: 11.7% of truck crashes in Burke County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Burke County?
16 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Burke County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Burke County compared with North Carolina?
Burke County records 64.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Burke 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.