Kannapolis, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kannapolis: 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
5 of 312 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Kannapolis compares with North Carolina
Kannapolis against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kannapolis stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | Kannapolis | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.1 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 25% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.53 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 20% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 31% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 79% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.5% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 22% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.4% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.5% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with North Carolina, Kannapolis is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Kannapolis: I-85 8 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Kannapolis.
Overview
Since 2015, 312 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Kannapolis. They injured 174 people and killed 7.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 13 days.
When crashes happen
November has the most truck crashes, 10.9% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (4.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.4% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
0.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-85 leads within 10 miles of Kannapolis with 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-152 (4), SR-3 (2) and None - Parking Lot (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.6% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Kannapolis fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-85; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 26.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than North Carolina.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kannapolis
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 8 |
| SR-152 | 4 |
| SR-3 | 2 |
| None - Parking Lot | 1 |
| SR-73 | 1 |
| Ssr-1002 | 1 |
| Ssr-1322 Ebenezer Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1350 Saw Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1430 George W Liles Pkwy | 1 |
| Ssr-2114 Centergrove Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kannapolis) |
|---|---|
| S Cannon Blvd | 17 |
| Davidson Hwy | 16 |
| Kannapolis Pkwy | 12 |
| Dale Earnhardt Blvd | 8 |
| Pilot Station | 8 |
| Lane St | 5 |
| N Cannon Blvd | 5 |
| Mooresville Rd | 4 |
Kannapolis at a glance
| Population | 60,521 |
| Land area | 34.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,732 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kannapolis 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 | 8 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 16 | +113% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 26 | +62% | 2.1 |
| 2020s | 19 | -25% | 1.8 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 19. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kannapolis
How common are truck crashes in Kannapolis?
312 truck crashes have been reported in Kannapolis since 2015, with 7 deaths and 174 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Kannapolis?
I-85 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Kannapolis since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Kannapolis?
November has the most truck crashes in Kannapolis, 10.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Kannapolis?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Kannapolis since 2015 (1.6% of truck crashes).
How does Kannapolis compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Kannapolis records 46.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Kannapolis?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.