Southern Shores, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Southern Shores: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Southern Shores and Dare County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Dare County numbers.
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 runs above North Carolina on garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Dare County: July the month with the most truck crashes: 16.1% of the year's total.
Overview
Dare County has recorded 192 truck crashes since 2015, with 135 people injured and 5 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 19 days.
Southern Shores had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Dare County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 16.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 4.2%.
November through March accounts for 30.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 12.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.6% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-158 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 11 of the truck crashes here, or 5.7%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Southern Shores fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-158, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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 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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-158 | 5 |
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 |
Southern Shores at a glance
| Population | 3,127 |
| Land area | 3.9 sq mi |
| Density | 792 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 27949) | $120,662 |
| Median home value (ZIP 27949) | $681,088 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 17. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Southern Shores
How many truck crashes happen in Southern Shores?
Since 2015, 192 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Dare County (135 injured, 5 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Southern Shores?
NHTSA data shows US-158 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Southern Shores since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Southern Shores?
July has the most truck crashes in Dare County, 16.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Southern Shores?
Since 2015, Dare County has reported 11 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.7% of its truck crashes.
How does Southern Shores compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
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 Southern Shores?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
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.