Cliffside, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cliffside: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cliffside and Rutherford County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Rutherford County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 309 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rutherford County compares with North Carolina
Rutherford County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rutherford County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rutherford County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.4 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 36% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 73% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.3% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 17.2% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Rutherford County has lower values than North Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes.
The headline for Rutherford County: 1 in 143 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.7%, against 2.6% for North Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 309 crashes involving commercial trucks in Rutherford County since 2015: 180 people were injured and 9 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 14 days.
With 3 truck crashes reported in Cliffside since 2015, this page uses Rutherford County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 13.3% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (4.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.3% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 10.4% of truck crashes.
1.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-74 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). It is followed by US-221 (2), Casey Martin Dr (1) and SR-150 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 0.6%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Cliffside fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Rutherford County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-74; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Rutherford County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-74 | 5 |
| US-221 | 2 |
| Casey Martin Dr | 1 |
| SR-150 | 1 |
| SR-87 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rutherford County) |
|---|---|
| College Ave | 6 |
| Railroad Ave | 5 |
| College Avenue | 5 |
| S Broadway St | 4 |
| W Main St | 3 |
| Withrow Rd | 3 |
| Buffalo Creek Rd | 2 |
| Charlotte Rd | 2 |
Cliffside at a glance
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rutherford 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 | 18 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 26 | +44% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 28 | +5% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 24 | -14% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 18 to 24. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cliffside
How many truck accidents are there in Cliffside?
309 truck crashes have been reported in Rutherford County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 180 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Cliffside?
NHTSA data shows US-74 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cliffside since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Cliffside?
Truck crashes in Rutherford County peak in September, with 13.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Cliffside?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Rutherford County since 2015 (0.6% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Cliffside compare with North Carolina?
Rutherford County records 39.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Cliffside?
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.