Old Fort, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Old Fort: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Old Fort and McDowell County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McDowell County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 622 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How McDowell County compares with North Carolina
McDowell County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McDowell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McDowell County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 119.7 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 30% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.2% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 93% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.2% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 20% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.1% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.9% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.3% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
McDowell County has lower values than North Carolina for 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 after dark.
What stands out in McDowell County: 1 in 588 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.2%, against 2.6% for North Carolina.
Overview
McDowell County has recorded 622 truck crashes since 2015, with 288 people injured and 13 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
Old Fort had 199 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use McDowell County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 11.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 6.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.9% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (9.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.2% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Old Fort since 2015: I-40 (1), N Main St (1) and SR-80 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.3% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Old Fort fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 2.2% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 McDowell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 1 |
| N Main St | 1 |
| SR-80 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McDowell County) |
|---|---|
| North Main Street | 6 |
| Love'S Travel Store | 4 |
| Pilot Travel Center | 4 |
| Baldwin Avenue | 3 |
| Love'S Travel Stop | 3 |
| E Court St | 2 |
| Pilot Pva | 2 |
| Pilot Truck Stop | 2 |
Old Fort at a glance
| Population | 833 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 682 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28762) | $66,410 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28762) | $210,197 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McDowell 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 | 35 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 43 | +24% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 51 | +18% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 50 | -2% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 35 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 50. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Old Fort
How common are truck crashes in Old Fort?
McDowell County has had 622 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 288 people and killing 13.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Old Fort?
The worst month is June: 11.3% of truck crashes in McDowell County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Old Fort?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in McDowell County since 2015, 0.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Old Fort compared with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 119.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in McDowell County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Old Fort?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.