Patterson Springs, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Patterson Springs: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Patterson Springs and Cleveland County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cleveland County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 962 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cleveland County compares with North Carolina
Cleveland County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cleveland County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cleveland County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 79.9 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.70 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 35% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.1% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.7% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.1% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Cleveland County sits below North Carolina on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Patterson Springs: I-85 8 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Patterson Springs.
Overview
Since 2015, 962 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cleveland County. They injured 679 people and killed 27.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 10 truck crashes were reported in Patterson Springs since 2015; patterns below come from Cleveland County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (10.7% of the year) and are lowest in March (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.4% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-85 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (8). After it: US-74 (4), SR-198 (2) and Casey Martin Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
16 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.7% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Patterson Springs fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cleveland County.
- Check whether your routes use I-85, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 2.1% 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 Cleveland County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 8 |
| US-74 | 4 |
| SR-198 | 2 |
| Casey Martin Dr | 1 |
| Dixon Blvd | 1 |
| SR-150 | 1 |
| SR-180 | 1 |
| SR-35 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
| SR-87 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cleveland County) |
|---|---|
| E Dixon Blvd | 65 |
| W Dixon Blvd | 31 |
| S Dekalb St | 10 |
| E Dixon Bvd | 9 |
| E Marion St | 9 |
| N Post Rd | 8 |
| Fallston Rd | 5 |
| Cherryville Rd | 4 |
Patterson Springs at a glance
| Population | 581 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 566 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cleveland 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 | 53 | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 53 | -1% | 1.6 |
| 2010s | 77 | +47% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 74 | -4% | 3.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 53 to 74. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Patterson Springs
How many truck accidents are there in Patterson Springs?
Cleveland County has had 962 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 679 people and killing 27.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Patterson Springs?
I-85 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Patterson Springs since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Patterson Springs?
The worst month is August: 10.7% of truck crashes in Cleveland County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Patterson Springs?
Garbage trucks were involved in 16 reported crashes in Cleveland County since 2015 (1.7% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Patterson Springs compared with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 79.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cleveland County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Patterson Springs?
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.