Ruth, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ruth: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ruth 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 stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes.
What stands out in Rutherford County: 1 in 143 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 2.6% across North Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 309 crashes involving commercial trucks in Rutherford County since 2015: 180 people were injured and 9 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Ruth 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%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 37.3% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (10.4%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.4% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ruth since 2015 were spread across roads: US-64 (2), US-74 (2), Ssr-1510 Hudlow Rd (1), US-221 (1) and US-74A (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 Ruth fleets
- Build extra time into September routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Rutherford County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-64 | 2 |
| US-74 | 2 |
| Ssr-1510 Hudlow Rd | 1 |
| US-221 | 1 |
| US-74A | 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 |
Ruth at a glance
| Population | 358 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 844 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28160) | $40,868 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28160) | $178,444 |
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. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ruth
How common are truck crashes in Ruth?
309 truck crashes have been reported in Rutherford County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 180 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ruth?
Truck crashes in Rutherford County peak in September, with 13.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ruth?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Rutherford County since 2015 (0.6% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Ruth compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 39.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rutherford County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ruth?
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.