Princeton, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Princeton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Princeton and Johnston County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Johnston County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Johnston County compares with North Carolina
Johnston County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Johnston County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Johnston County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 65.0 | 61.3 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.71 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 31% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.8% | 1.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.2% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.8% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.5% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.5% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Johnston County has lower values than North Carolina for garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Princeton: I-95 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Princeton: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 1,874 crashes involving commercial trucks in Johnston County since 2015: 1,328 people were injured and 73 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
Only 102 truck crashes were reported in Princeton since 2015; patterns below come from Johnston County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 6.7%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.5% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.8% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-95 leads within 10 miles of Princeton with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come US-70 (3), US-301 (2) and I-795 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 34 of the truck crashes here, or 1.8%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (18% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.1, vs 3.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Princeton fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-95; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Johnston County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-95 | 5 |
| US-70 | 3 |
| US-301 | 2 |
| I-795 | 1 |
| SR-581 | 1 |
| Ssr-1201 Richardson Bridge Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-2342 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Johnston County) |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Rd | 9 |
| Shotwell Rd | 9 |
| US-70 | 7 |
| Clayton Blvd | 3 |
| Covered Bridge Rd | 3 |
| N Brightleaf Blvd | 3 |
| W Market St | 3 |
| Amelia Church Rd | 2 |
Princeton at a glance
| Population | 1,507 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,294 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 27569) | $78,850 |
| Median home value (ZIP 27569) | $204,213 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Johnston 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 | 74 | — | 5.1 |
| 2000s | 109 | +46% | 4.5 |
| 2010s | 125 | +15% | 2.6 |
| 2020s | 170 | +35% | 5.2 |
In the 1990s about 74 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 170. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Princeton
How common are truck crashes in Princeton?
Johnston County has had 1,874 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,328 people and killing 73.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Princeton?
Since 2015, I-95 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Princeton: 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Princeton?
Truck crashes in Johnston County peak in June, with 9.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Princeton?
34 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Johnston County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Princeton compared with North Carolina?
Johnston County records 65.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Princeton?
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.