Turkey, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Turkey: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Turkey and Sampson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Sampson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7.4 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Sampson County compares with North Carolina
Sampson County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sampson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sampson County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 124.2 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.71 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.0% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.6% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.7% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Sampson County has lower values than North Carolina for on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Turkey: US-421 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Turkey: 3 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 873 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Sampson County. They injured 607 people and killed 36.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
Turkey had 30 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Sampson County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 10.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 6.3%.
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (9.2%).
Road surface: 1.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Turkey is US-421, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-40 (1), Mcgowan Rd (1) and SR-403 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
29 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in May (17%).
They recorded 7.4 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Turkey fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-421 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Sampson County.
- 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 Sampson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-421 | 3 |
| I-40 | 1 |
| Mcgowan Rd | 1 |
| SR-403 | 1 |
| SR-50 | 1 |
| Ssr-1004 Needmore Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1104 Beasleys Mill Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1214 | 1 |
| Ssr-1904 Pine Ridge Rd | 1 |
| US-117 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sampson County) |
|---|---|
| Southeast Blvd | 16 |
| Sunset Ave | 13 |
| Faircloth Freeway | 8 |
| Sunset Avenue | 4 |
| E Railroad St | 3 |
| Northwest Blvd | 3 |
| Enviva Pellets Sampson | 2 |
| Faison Hwy | 2 |
Turkey at a glance
| Population | 218 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 551 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28393) | $37,544 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28393) | $79,041 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sampson 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 | 62 | — | 4.0 |
| 2000s | 53 | -15% | 2.6 |
| 2010s | 70 | +32% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 71 | +1% | 3.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 62 to 71. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Turkey
How common are truck crashes in Turkey?
Since 2015, 873 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Sampson County (607 injured, 36 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Turkey?
Since 2015, US-421 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Turkey: 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Turkey?
Truck crashes in Sampson County peak in October, with 10.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Turkey?
Garbage trucks were involved in 29 reported crashes in Sampson County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How does Turkey compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Sampson County records 124.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Turkey?
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.