Columbus County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Columbus County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 6.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Columbus County compares with North Carolina
Columbus County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Columbus County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Columbus County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 105.3 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 2.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.87 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.8% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 90% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.9% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 34% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.5% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.5% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Columbus County sits below North Carolina on on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Columbus County: 6.2 people killed per 100 truck crashes (North Carolina: 2.5).
Overview
Police reported 611 crashes involving commercial trucks in Columbus County since 2015: 526 people were injured and 36 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in January (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.5% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (9.7%).
Road surface: 0.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-87 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (8). Next come US-74 (6), SR-410 (4) and SR-905 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
26 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.3% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (23%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.5, vs 6.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Columbus County fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Columbus County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-87; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at February schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Columbus County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Columbus County) |
|---|---|
| SR-87 | 8 |
| US-74 | 6 |
| SR-410 | 4 |
| SR-905 | 2 |
| Pva | 1 |
| SR-11 | 1 |
| SR-140 | 1 |
| SR-211 | 1 |
| SR-242 | 1 |
| SR-904 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Columbus County) |
|---|---|
| International Paper | 7 |
| Love Mill Rd | 6 |
| Jk Powell Blvd | 5 |
| Joe Brown Hwy | 3 |
| N Brown St | 3 |
| N Jk Powell Blvd | 3 |
| Han-Dee Hugo | 2 |
| Hickman Rd | 2 |
Columbus County at a glance
| Population | 50,054 |
| Land area | 938.2 sq mi |
| Density | 53 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $48,869 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Columbus 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 | 27 | — | 3.6 |
| 2000s | 35 | +30% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 52 | +49% | 2.5 |
| 2020s | 47 | -11% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 27 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 47. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Columbus County
ZIP codes in Columbus County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Columbus County
How common are truck crashes in Columbus County?
Since 2015, 611 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Columbus County (526 injured, 36 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Columbus County?
SR-87 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Columbus County since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Columbus County?
Truck crashes in Columbus County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Columbus County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 26 reported crashes in Columbus County since 2015 (4.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Columbus County compared with North Carolina?
Columbus County records 105.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Columbus County?
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.