Delco, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Delco: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Delco and Columbus County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Columbus County numbers.
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 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.5 in North Carolina.
Overview
Columbus County has recorded 611 truck crashes since 2015, with 526 people injured and 36 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
Only 36 truck crashes were reported in Delco since 2015; patterns below come from Columbus County as a whole.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.5% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (7.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.5% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.2% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
SR-87 leads within 10 miles of Delco with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-11 (2), Pva (1) and SR-210 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 26 of the truck crashes here, or 4.3%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (23% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.5 deaths compared with 6.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Delco fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-87; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Columbus County.
- 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 Columbus County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-87 | 9 |
| SR-11 | 2 |
| Pva | 1 |
| SR-210 | 1 |
| US-74 | 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 |
Delco at a glance
| Land area | 1.5 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28436) | $64,297 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28436) | $174,062 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 27 a year in the 1990s and 47 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Delco
How common are truck crashes in Delco?
611 truck crashes have been reported in Columbus County since 2015, with 36 deaths and 526 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Delco?
Since 2015, SR-87 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Delco: 9.
When do most truck crashes happen in Delco?
Truck crashes in Columbus County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Delco?
26 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Columbus County since 2015, 4.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Delco compare with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Columbus County has 105.3 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Delco?
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.