Richlands, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Richlands: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Richlands and Onslow County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Onslow County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Onslow County compares with North Carolina
Onslow County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Onslow County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Onslow County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 26.7 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 56% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 48% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.67 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.7% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.0% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.1% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.5% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 19% below the state |
Onslow County has lower values than North Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above North Carolina on garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Onslow County: 1 in 15 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.7%, against 2.6% for North Carolina.
Overview
Onslow County has recorded 682 truck crashes since 2015, with 451 people injured and 8 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 6 days in fully reported years.
Only 116 truck crashes were reported in Richlands since 2015; patterns below come from Onslow County as a whole.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (6.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.0% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
1.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Richlands happened on US-258 (2) and SR-24 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
47 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.9% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (13% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Richlands fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Onslow County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Onslow County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-258 | 2 |
| SR-24 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Onslow County) |
|---|---|
| Gum Branch Rd | 15 |
| US-17 | 6 |
| Henderson Dr | 4 |
| Western Blvd | 4 |
| Piney Green Rd | 3 |
| Bell Fork Rd | 2 |
| Commerce Rd | 2 |
| Franck Street | 2 |
Richlands at a glance
| Population | 2,446 |
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,482 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28574) | $67,416 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28574) | $205,725 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Onslow 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 | 31 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 41 | +31% | 2.5 |
| 2010s | 60 | +46% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 50 | -16% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 31 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 50. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Richlands
How many truck accidents are there in Richlands?
682 truck crashes have been reported in Onslow County since 2015, with 8 deaths and 451 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Richlands?
Truck crashes in Onslow County peak in October, with 9.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Richlands?
47 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Onslow County since 2015, 6.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Richlands compared with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Onslow County has 26.7 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Richlands?
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.