Caldwell County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Caldwell 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
11 of 345 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Caldwell County compares with North Carolina
Caldwell County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Caldwell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Caldwell County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.6 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 40% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.2% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 12.6% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 38% below the state |
Compared with North Carolina, Caldwell County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Caldwell County: US-321 most fatal truck crashes in Caldwell County: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 345 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Caldwell County. They injured 211 people and killed 13.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 12 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (12.8% of the year) and are lowest in May (5.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.2% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
2.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
US-321 leads in Caldwell County with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd (2), US-64 (2) and SR-1159 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 11 of the truck crashes here, or 3.2%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Caldwell County fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Caldwell County.
- Look at alternatives to US-321 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 25.9% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than North Carolina.
- With 2.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Caldwell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Caldwell County) |
|---|---|
| US-321 | 4 |
| Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd | 2 |
| US-64 | 2 |
| SR-1159 | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| Ssr-1001 Connelly Springs Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1145 Virginia St | 1 |
| Ssr-1404 Beecher Anderson Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Caldwell County) |
|---|---|
| Morganton Blvd | 14 |
| Blowing Rock Blvd | 9 |
| Hickory Blvd | 6 |
| Southwest Blvd | 4 |
| Harper Ave | 3 |
| Norwood St | 3 |
| Wilkesboro Blvd | 3 |
| Falls Avenue | 2 |
Caldwell County at a glance
| Population | 80,739 |
| Land area | 471.9 sq mi |
| Density | 171 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $57,032 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Caldwell 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 | 21 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 28 | +35% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 32 | +14% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 26 | -20% | 1.8 |
In the 1990s about 21 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 26. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Caldwell County
ZIP codes in Caldwell County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Caldwell County
How many truck accidents are there in Caldwell County?
345 truck crashes have been reported in Caldwell County since 2015, with 13 deaths and 211 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Caldwell County?
Since 2015, US-321 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Caldwell County: 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Caldwell County?
Truck crashes in Caldwell County peak in March, with 12.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Caldwell County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Caldwell County since 2015 (3.2% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Caldwell County compared with North Carolina?
Caldwell County records 36.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Caldwell 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.