Mecklenburg County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mecklenburg 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
3.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Mecklenburg County compares with North Carolina
Mecklenburg County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mecklenburg County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mecklenburg County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 73.1 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 40% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.66 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.7% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.3% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.4% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Mecklenburg County has lower values than North Carolina for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for Mecklenburg County: I-77 deadliest road: 20 fatal truck crashes in Mecklenburg County since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 9,717 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Mecklenburg County. They injured 6,305 people and killed 150.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 2 truck crashes every day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 9.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 7.7%.
November through March accounts for 41.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Mecklenburg County is I-77, with 20 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-485 (18), I-85 (14) and US-29 (6).
Garbage & waste trucks
187 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.9% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (14% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.0 deaths compared with 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Mecklenburg County fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mecklenburg County.
- Look at alternatives to I-77 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in April; review collection routes for that month.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2024 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Mecklenburg County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Mecklenburg County) |
|---|---|
| I-77 | 20 |
| I-485 | 18 |
| I-85 | 14 |
| US-29 | 6 |
| SR-16 | 4 |
| SR-24 | 3 |
| SR-49 | 2 |
| Steele Creek Rd | 2 |
| US-74 | 2 |
| Alexanderiana Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mecklenburg County) |
|---|---|
| Brookshire Blvd | 104 |
| N Tryon St | 89 |
| Wilkinson Blvd | 88 |
| Westinghouse Blvd | 79 |
| N Graham St | 77 |
| S Tryon St | 75 |
| Statesville Rd | 70 |
| Albemarle Rd | 69 |
Mecklenburg County at a glance
| Population | 1,206,285 |
| Land area | 523.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,304 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $93,513 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mecklenburg 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 | 175 | — | 7.5 |
| 2000s | 486 | +177% | 8.1 |
| 2010s | 839 | +73% | 9.7 |
| 2020s | 765 | -9% | 11.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 175 a year in the 1990s and 765 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 12.0 a year in 2016–19 and 11.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Mecklenburg County
ZIP codes in Mecklenburg County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Mecklenburg County
How many truck crashes happen in Mecklenburg County?
Since 2015, 9,717 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mecklenburg County (6,305 injured, 150 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Mecklenburg County?
Since 2015, I-77 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Mecklenburg County: 20.
When do most truck crashes happen in Mecklenburg County?
Truck crashes in Mecklenburg County peak in June, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Mecklenburg County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 187 reported crashes in Mecklenburg County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
How does Mecklenburg County compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Mecklenburg County has 73.1 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Mecklenburg 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 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.