Granite Falls, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Granite Falls: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Granite Falls 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. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Granite Falls: I-40 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Granite Falls: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Caldwell County has recorded 345 truck crashes since 2015, with 211 people injured and 13 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 12 days in fully reported years.
With 80 truck crashes reported in Granite Falls since 2015, this page uses Caldwell County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (8.7%).
Road surface: 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-40 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). After it: US-321 (3), SR-1400 (2) and Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
11 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.2% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Granite Falls fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Caldwell County.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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.
- 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 Caldwell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 5 |
| US-321 | 3 |
| SR-1400 | 2 |
| Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd | 2 |
| US-64 | 2 |
| 9th Ave | 1 |
| SR-1159 | 1 |
| Ssr-1001 Connelly Springs Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1005 Mcdonald Pkwy Ne | 1 |
| Ssr-1145 Virginia St | 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 |
Granite Falls at a glance
| Population | 4,942 |
| Land area | 4.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,001 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28667) | $26,354 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28667) | $132,380 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 21 to 26. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Granite Falls
How many truck accidents are there in Granite Falls?
Caldwell County has had 345 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 211 people and killing 13.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Granite Falls?
NHTSA data shows I-40 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Granite Falls since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Granite Falls?
The worst month is March: 12.8% of truck crashes in Caldwell County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Granite Falls?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Caldwell County since 2015 (3.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Granite Falls compare with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Caldwell County has 36.6 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Granite Falls?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.