Saluda, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Saluda: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Saluda and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
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 |
Compared with North Carolina, Polk County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. It runs above North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Polk County: 1 in 286 crashes involve a garbage truck (1 since 2015), vs 2.6% across North Carolina.
Overview
Since 2015, 306 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 186 people and killed 5.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
Saluda had 74 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Polk County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in November (3.6%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.9% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for 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
I-26 leads within 10 miles of Saluda with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-11 (2), SR-108 (1) and SR-14 (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 Saluda fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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.
- 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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-26 | 5 |
| SR-11 | 2 |
| SR-108 | 1 |
| SR-14 | 1 |
| Shadywood Ln | 1 |
| Ssr-1756 S Allen Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1793 Tracy Grove Rd | 1 |
| US-25 | 1 |
| US-64 | 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 |
Saluda at a glance
| Population | 653 |
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Density | 419 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28773) | $70,703 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28773) | $415,272 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 12 to 26. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Saluda
How many truck crashes happen in Saluda?
306 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 186 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Saluda?
Since 2015, I-26 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Saluda: 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Saluda?
February has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Saluda?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Saluda compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 129.3 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Saluda?
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.