Atlantic Beach, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Atlantic Beach: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Atlantic Beach and Carteret County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Carteret County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 264 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Carteret County compares with North Carolina
Carteret County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2023 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carteret County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2023) | Carteret County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.1 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 38% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.69 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.1% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 73% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 4.7% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 56% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.4% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 8.9% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 56% below the state |
Carteret County has lower values than North Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Carteret County: 1 in 16 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.1%, against 2.6% for North Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 264 crashes involving commercial trucks in Carteret County since 2015: 186 people were injured and 5 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
With 3 truck crashes reported in Atlantic Beach since 2015, this page uses Carteret County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (10.6% of the year) and are lowest in November (4.9%).
November through March accounts for 36.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 12.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.5% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
US-70 leads within 10 miles of Atlantic Beach with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-101 (1), SR-24 (1) and Ssr-1155 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.9% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Atlantic Beach fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-70 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.6% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2021, 2024 and 2025 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Carteret County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-70 | 3 |
| SR-101 | 1 |
| SR-24 | 1 |
| Ssr-1155 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Carteret County) |
|---|---|
| Bridges St | 5 |
| Arendell St | 2 |
| Buddy Parker Lane | 2 |
| Kangaroo | 2 |
| Turner St | 2 |
| Business Dr | 1 |
| Circle K | 1 |
| Danny Varner Building | 1 |
Atlantic Beach at a glance
| Population | 1,421 |
| Land area | 2.4 sq mi |
| Density | 597 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28512) | $91,488 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28512) | $559,834 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Carteret 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 | 13 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 16 | +17% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 22 | +44% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 23 | +4% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 13 to 23. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Atlantic Beach
How many truck accidents are there in Atlantic Beach?
Carteret County has had 264 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 186 people and killing 5.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Atlantic Beach?
US-70 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Atlantic Beach since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Atlantic Beach?
Truck crashes in Carteret County peak in June, with 10.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Atlantic Beach?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Carteret County since 2015 (4.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Atlantic Beach compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 38.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Carteret County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Atlantic Beach?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2021, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.