Polk County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polk 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 306 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with North Carolina
Polk County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 129.3 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 2.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 32% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.64 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 86% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.5% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.1% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Polk County has lower values than North Carolina for deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Polk County at a glance: 1 in 286 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.4%, vs 2.6% in North Carolina.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 306 truck crashes since 2015, with 186 people injured and 5 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 14 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in November (3.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.9% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Polk County is I-26, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-108 (1) and US-74 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 0.3%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Polk County fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- Check whether your routes use I-26, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 2.4% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Polk County) |
|---|---|
| I-26 | 3 |
| SR-108 | 1 |
| US-74 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Rest Area | 2 |
| Welcome Center | 2 |
| (3423 Holbert Cove Rd) | 1 |
| Mountain Pkwy | 1 |
| South Pointe Rd | 1 |
| Tyron Equestrian Cente | 1 |
Polk County at a glance
| Population | 20,320 |
| Land area | 237.7 sq mi |
| Density | 85 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $68,948 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 12 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 16 | +32% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 24 | +48% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 26 | +5% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 26 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 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Polk County
ZIP codes in Polk County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Polk County
How many truck crashes happen in Polk County?
306 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 186 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Polk County?
Since 2015, I-26 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Polk County: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County?
The worst month is February: 10.1% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Polk County?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.3% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Polk County compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 129.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Polk 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.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.