Chapel Hill, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chapel Hill: 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
8 of 253 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chapel Hill compares with North Carolina
Chapel Hill against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chapel Hill stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chapel Hill | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 32.9 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 46% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.4 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 84% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 24% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.9% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 34% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.8% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Chapel Hill has lower values than North Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
The headline for Chapel Hill: 0.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.5 in North Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 253 crashes involving commercial trucks in Chapel Hill since 2015: 129 people were injured and 1 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 17 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 5.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.9% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
I-85 leads within 10 miles of Chapel Hill with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-40 (2), SR-147 (2) and US-501 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 8 crashes, 3.2% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Chapel Hill fleets
- Review driver schedules for November, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-85, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Chapel Hill
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 3 |
| I-40 | 2 |
| SR-147 | 2 |
| US-501 | 2 |
| Renaissance Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-1177 | 1 |
| SR-55 | 1 |
| SR-751 | 1 |
| SR-86 | 1 |
| Ssr-1107 Stagecoach Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chapel Hill) |
|---|---|
| E Franklin St | 9 |
| Mt Carmel Church Rd | 4 |
| S Columbia St | 4 |
| S Estes Dr | 3 |
| Pittsboro St | 3 |
| Edisto Ct | 2 |
| Ambulance Bay | 2 |
| Emergency Room Dr | 1 |
Chapel Hill at a glance
| Population | 64,028 |
| Land area | 21.7 sq mi |
| Density | 2,951 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chapel Hill 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 | 8 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 16 | +99% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 21 | +33% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 20 | -3% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 20 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chapel Hill
How many truck crashes happen in Chapel Hill?
Chapel Hill has had 253 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 129 people and killing 1.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Chapel Hill?
Since 2015, I-85 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chapel Hill: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Chapel Hill?
November has the most truck crashes in Chapel Hill, 10.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Chapel Hill?
8 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Chapel Hill since 2015, 3.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Chapel Hill compared with North Carolina?
Chapel Hill records 32.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Chapel Hill?
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.