Wake County, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wake County: 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
2.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Wake County compares with North Carolina
Wake County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wake County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 45.2 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 26% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 60% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.62 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.9% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 14.9% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 27% below the state |
Wake County sits below North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: morning rush (6–10 am).
Wake County at a glance: I-40 most fatal truck crashes in Wake County: 8 since 2015.
Overview
Wake County has recorded 6,415 truck crashes since 2015, with 3,996 people injured and 66 killed.
That averages about 2 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 7.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.8% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.4% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads in Wake County with 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-401 (7), US-64 (5) and I-440 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 168 of the truck crashes here, or 2.6%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (12% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.5, vs 1.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Wake County fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Wake County.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in April; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.3% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Wake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Wake County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 8 |
| US-401 | 7 |
| US-64 | 5 |
| I-440 | 4 |
| SR-96 | 4 |
| SR-98 | 4 |
| US-1 | 4 |
| I-540 | 2 |
| SR-55 | 2 |
| Ssr-1006 Old Stage Rd | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wake County) |
|---|---|
| Capital Blvd | 254 |
| Glenwood Ave | 137 |
| New Bern Ave | 62 |
| Wake Forest Rd | 50 |
| E Williams St | 47 |
| Wade Ave | 39 |
| Knightdale Blvd | 37 |
| S Wilmington St | 37 |
Wake County at a glance
| Population | 1,232,444 |
| Land area | 834.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,477 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $107,580 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wake 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 | 164 | — | 6.3 |
| 2000s | 302 | +84% | 5.6 |
| 2010s | 552 | +83% | 5.0 |
| 2020s | 486 | -12% | 6.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 164 a year in the 1990s and 486 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 6.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 6.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Wake County
ZIP codes in Wake County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Wake County
How common are truck crashes in Wake County?
Since 2015, 6,415 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Wake County (3,996 injured, 66 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Wake County?
I-40 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Wake County since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Wake County?
June has the most truck crashes in Wake County, 9.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Wake County?
168 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Wake County since 2015, 2.6% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Wake County compare with North Carolina?
Wake County records 45.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wake County?
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.