Atlantic, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Atlantic: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Atlantic 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 |
Compared with North Carolina, Carteret County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Carteret County at a glance: 1 in 16 crashes involve a garbage truck (13 since 2015), vs 2.6% across North Carolina.
Overview
Carteret County has recorded 264 truck crashes since 2015, with 186 people injured and 5 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Atlantic since 2015, this page uses Carteret County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 10.6% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (4.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 36.4% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (12.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.5% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Atlantic since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.9% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Atlantic fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 26.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than North Carolina.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 2021, 2024 and 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 at a glance
| Land area | 0.9 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28511) | $55,978 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28511) | $138,130 |
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 crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Atlantic
How many truck crashes happen in Atlantic?
Since 2015, 264 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Carteret County (186 injured, 5 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Atlantic?
The worst month is June: 10.6% of truck crashes in Carteret County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Atlantic?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Carteret County since 2015, 4.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Atlantic compared with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Carteret County has 38.1 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Atlantic?
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.