Dare County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dare 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
11 of 192 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Dare County compares with North Carolina
Dare County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2023 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dare County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2023) | Dare County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 51.4 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 16% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.69 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.6% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 63% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.0% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.8% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 64% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 30.6% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 26% below the state |
| After dark | 10.2% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 50% below the state |
Dare County sits below North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Dare County: July 16.1% of truck crashes happen in July, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 192 crashes involving commercial trucks in Dare County since 2015: 135 people were injured and 5 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 19 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 16.1% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (4.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 30.6% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 12.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Dare County happened on SR-12 (2), US-158 (2) and US-64 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 11 crashes, 5.7% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Dare County fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Reporting was incomplete in 2020, 2024 and 2025, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Dare County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Dare County) |
|---|---|
| SR-12 | 2 |
| US-158 | 2 |
| US-64 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dare County) |
|---|---|
| Us 158 (N Croatan Hwy) | 7 |
| Croatan Hwy | 4 |
| Croatan Highway | 3 |
| Us 158 N Croatan Hwy | 3 |
| Duck Rd | 2 |
| Us 158 (S Croatan Hwy) | 2 |
| 11Th Ave | 1 |
| Airstrip Rd | 1 |
Dare County at a glance
| Population | 38,183 |
| Land area | 383.2 sq mi |
| Density | 100 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $91,160 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dare 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 | 6 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 13 | +98% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 18 | +40% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 17 | -8% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 17. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Dare County
ZIP codes in Dare County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Dare County
How common are truck crashes in Dare County?
Since 2015, 192 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Dare County (135 injured, 5 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Dare County?
Truck crashes in Dare County peak in July, with 16.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Dare County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 11 reported crashes in Dare County since 2015 (5.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Dare County compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 51.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Dare County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Dare County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2020, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.