Cajah's Mountain, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cajah's Mountain: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cajah's Mountain and Caldwell County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Caldwell County numbers.
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 |
Caldwell County sits below North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Cajah's Mountain at a glance: US-321 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Cajah's Mountain: 3 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 345 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Caldwell County. They injured 211 people and killed 13.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 12 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Cajah's Mountain since 2015; patterns below come from Caldwell County as a whole.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 12.8% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (5.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.2% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
US-321 leads within 10 miles of Cajah's Mountain with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd (2), I-40 (1) and SR-1159 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 11 crashes, 3.2% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Cajah's Mountain fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-321; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.9% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- 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
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 Caldwell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-321 | 3 |
| Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd | 2 |
| I-40 | 1 |
| SR-1159 | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| Ssr-1001 Connelly Springs Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1145 Virginia St | 1 |
| Ssr-1404 Beecher Anderson Rd | 1 |
| US-64 | 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 |
Cajah's Mountain at a glance
| Population | 2,699 |
| Land area | 3.4 sq mi |
| Density | 796 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28638) | $67,135 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28638) | $206,039 |
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. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cajah's Mountain
How many truck crashes happen in Cajah's Mountain?
345 truck crashes have been reported in Caldwell County since 2015, with 13 deaths and 211 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Cajah's Mountain?
Since 2015, US-321 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cajah's Mountain: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cajah's Mountain?
The worst month is March: 12.8% of truck crashes in Caldwell County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cajah's Mountain?
Since 2015, Caldwell County has reported 11 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Cajah's Mountain compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 36.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Caldwell County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cajah's Mountain?
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.