Salisbury, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Salisbury: 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Salisbury compares with North Carolina
Salisbury against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Salisbury stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Salisbury | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 174.2 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 2.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 16% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.1% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.5% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 22.4% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with North Carolina, Salisbury is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Salisbury at a glance: 1 in 22 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.6%, vs 2.6% in North Carolina.
Overview
Salisbury has recorded 723 truck crashes since 2015, with 442 people injured and 17 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in October (5.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.5% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (8.0%).
Road surface: 2.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
I-85 leads within 10 miles of Salisbury with 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-601 (3), Ssr-1526 (2) and Jake Alexander Blvd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 32 of the truck crashes here, or 4.4%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Their busiest month is May, with 16% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Salisbury fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Salisbury.
- Check whether your routes use I-85, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- 2.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above North Carolina; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Salisbury
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 9 |
| US-601 | 3 |
| Ssr-1526 | 2 |
| Jake Alexander Blvd | 1 |
| Mooresville Rd | 1 |
| S Jake Alexander | 1 |
| SR-150 | 1 |
| SR-152 | 1 |
| SR-801 | 1 |
| Ssr-1002 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Salisbury) |
|---|---|
| Peeler Rd | 22 |
| W Jake Alexander Blvd | 22 |
| Jake Alexander Blvd | 15 |
| Statesville Blvd | 15 |
| E Innes St | 10 |
| W Innes St | 9 |
| Mooresville Rd | 7 |
| Harrison Rd | 6 |
Salisbury at a glance
| Population | 36,579 |
| Land area | 23.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,584 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Salisbury 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 | 49 | — | 3.4 |
| 2000s | 50 | +2% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 56 | +12% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 59 | +4% | 4.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 49 a year in the 1990s and 59 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.0 a year in 2016–19, 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Salisbury
How common are truck crashes in Salisbury?
Salisbury has had 723 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 442 people and killing 17.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Salisbury?
Since 2015, I-85 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Salisbury: 9.
When do most truck crashes happen in Salisbury?
Truck crashes in Salisbury peak in January, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Salisbury?
32 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Salisbury since 2015, 4.4% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Salisbury compare with North Carolina?
Salisbury records 174.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Salisbury?
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.