Lake Junaluska, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake Junaluska: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lake Junaluska and Haywood County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Haywood County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 967 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Haywood County compares with North Carolina
Haywood County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Haywood County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Haywood County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 130.9 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 2.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 56% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.55 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 83% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.3% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 15.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 34% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.7% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.6% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Compared with North Carolina, Haywood County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Haywood County: 1 in 227 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.4%, vs 2.6% in North Carolina.
Overview
Haywood County has recorded 967 truck crashes since 2015, with 525 people injured and 10 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Lake Junaluska had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Haywood County numbers.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 10.8% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (6.6%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 38.7% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
2.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads within 10 miles of Lake Junaluska with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-19B (1), US-276 (1) and US-74 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.5% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Lake Junaluska fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Haywood County.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 2.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above North Carolina; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Haywood County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 2 |
| US-19B | 1 |
| US-276 | 1 |
| US-74 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Haywood County) |
|---|---|
| Pilot Truck Stop | 19 |
| Champion Drive | 9 |
| Russ Ave | 5 |
| Champion Dr | 4 |
| Brown Ave | 3 |
| Cold Springs Creek Rd | 2 |
| Commerce Street | 2 |
| Crabtree Rd | 2 |
Lake Junaluska at a glance
| Land area | 5.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28745) | $117,824 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28745) | $356,809 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Haywood 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 | 51 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 56 | +9% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 65 | +16% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 84 | +29% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 51 a year in the 1990s and 84 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lake Junaluska
How common are truck crashes in Lake Junaluska?
Since 2015, 967 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Haywood County (525 injured, 10 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Lake Junaluska?
NHTSA data shows I-40 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lake Junaluska since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lake Junaluska?
September has the most truck crashes in Haywood County, 10.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Lake Junaluska?
Since 2015, Haywood County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Lake Junaluska compared with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Haywood County has 130.9 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lake Junaluska?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.