Mitchell County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mitchell 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
1 of 101 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Mitchell County compares with North Carolina
Mitchell County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mitchell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mitchell County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 59.3 | 61.3 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 20% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 26% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 60% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.1% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 13% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.8% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 12.2% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 40% below the state |
Mitchell County sits below North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Mitchell County: 3.1% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 101 crashes involving commercial trucks in Mitchell County since 2015: 51 people were injured and 2 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 41 days.
When crashes happen
April has the most truck crashes, 15.8% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (4.0%).
November through March accounts for 38.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
By time of day, 9–10 am stands out with 11.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Mitchell County happened on SR-197 (1) and US-19 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 1.0%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Mitchell County fleets
- Review driver schedules for April, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 30.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above North Carolina; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 3.1% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Mitchell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Mitchell County) |
|---|---|
| SR-197 | 1 |
| US-19 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mitchell County) |
|---|---|
| US-19E | 3 |
| Us 19Est | 2 |
| Ingles | 1 |
| Nc-226A | 1 |
| Oak Avenue | 1 |
| Quartz | 1 |
| Summit Ave | 1 |
| Tri-County Oil | 1 |
Mitchell County at a glance
| Population | 15,030 |
| Land area | 221.3 sq mi |
| Density | 68 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $59,986 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mitchell 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 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 7 | +12% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 5 | -29% | 0.0 |
| 2020s | 12 | +124% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 12. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Mitchell County
ZIP codes in Mitchell County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Mitchell County
How many truck crashes happen in Mitchell County?
Since 2015, 101 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mitchell County (51 injured, 2 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Mitchell County?
The worst month is April: 15.8% of truck crashes in Mitchell County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Mitchell County?
Since 2015, Mitchell County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 1.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Mitchell County compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 59.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Mitchell County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Mitchell County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.