Atkinson, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Atkinson: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Atkinson and Pender County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Pender County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
11 of 535 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pender County compares with North Carolina
Pender County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pender County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | Pender County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.5 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.74 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 19% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.8% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 52% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 7% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.1% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.3% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Compared with North Carolina, Pender County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Atkinson: US-421 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Atkinson: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 535 crashes involving commercial trucks in Pender County since 2015: 392 people were injured and 23 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
Only 36 truck crashes were reported in Atkinson since 2015; patterns below come from Pender County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in July (7.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.0% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 10.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
US-421 leads within 10 miles of Atkinson with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-210 (2) and Ssr-1206 Tuckahoe Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
11 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.1% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for Atkinson fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-421; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Reporting was incomplete in 2025, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Pender County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-421 | 4 |
| SR-210 | 2 |
| Ssr-1206 Tuckahoe Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pender County) |
|---|---|
| Nc Hwy 53 | 3 |
| Private Property | 3 |
| Alderman St | 2 |
| E Bridgers St | 2 |
| Phoenix Travel Mart | 2 |
| W Wilmington St | 2 |
| Berkshire Dr. | 1 |
| Coastal Car Care Pva | 1 |
Atkinson at a glance
| Population | 346 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 349 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28421) | $60,025 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28421) | $118,447 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pender 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 | 27 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 29 | +8% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 43 | +47% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 43 | +0% | 1.6 |
In the 1990s about 27 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 43. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Atkinson
How many truck crashes happen in Atkinson?
535 truck crashes have been reported in Pender County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 392 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Atkinson?
US-421 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Atkinson since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Atkinson?
August has the most truck crashes in Pender County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Atkinson?
11 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Pender County since 2015, 2.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Atkinson compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Pender County records 68.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Atkinson?
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 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.