Elkin, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elkin: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elkin and Surry County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Surry County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
11 of 807 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Surry County compares with North Carolina
Surry County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Surry County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Surry County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 96.8 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 49% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.2% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 2.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 27% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.7% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Surry County has lower values than North Carolina for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Surry County: 4.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 1.7% in North Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 807 crashes involving commercial trucks in Surry County since 2015: 449 people were injured and 28 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 5 days in fully reported years.
Elkin had 157 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Surry County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 9.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 5.9%.
November through March accounts for 41.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 4.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-77 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (12). After it: US-21 (3), SR-268 (2) and Elk Spur St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 11 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Elkin fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Surry County.
- Look at alternatives to I-77 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 4.2% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Surry County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-77 | 12 |
| US-21 | 3 |
| SR-268 | 2 |
| Elk Spur St | 1 |
| SR-67 | 1 |
| Ssr-1931 Greenhorn Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-2303 Clingman Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-2304 Chatham Rd | 1 |
| US-601 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Surry County) |
|---|---|
| Cc Camp Rd | 9 |
| Brintle'S Truck Stop | 5 |
| Brintles Truck Stop | 4 |
| Linville Rd | 3 |
| Plaza Lane | 3 |
| Plaza Ln | 3 |
| Rest Area | 3 |
| Rockford Street | 3 |
Elkin at a glance
| Population | 4,094 |
| Land area | 6.8 sq mi |
| Density | 601 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28621) | $53,616 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28621) | $163,332 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Surry 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 | 55 | — | 2.6 |
| 2000s | 48 | -12% | 3.3 |
| 2010s | 67 | +40% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 66 | -3% | 2.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 55 to 66. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elkin
How common are truck crashes in Elkin?
Surry County has had 807 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 449 people and killing 28.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Elkin?
I-77 had 12 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Elkin since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Elkin?
The worst month is August: 9.5% of truck crashes in Surry County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elkin?
Since 2015, Surry County has reported 11 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Elkin compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Surry County has 96.8 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Elkin?
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.