Wilkesboro, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wilkesboro: 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
5 of 225 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Wilkesboro compares with North Carolina
Wilkesboro against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wilkesboro stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wilkesboro | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 550.0 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 9.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 28% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.73 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 12% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 20% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.0% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 17% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.6% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 26.0% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with North Carolina, Wilkesboro is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Wilkesboro: US-421 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Wilkesboro.
Overview
Since 2015, 225 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Wilkesboro. They injured 162 people and killed 4.
That averages about one truck crash every 18 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 12.0% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (5.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.6% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 9.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.4% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
US-421 leads within 10 miles of Wilkesboro with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-268 (1), Ssr-1372 (1) and Ssr-2462 Country Club Rd Ext (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 2.2%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Wilkesboro fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-421; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 26.0% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than North Carolina.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Wilkesboro
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-421 | 3 |
| SR-268 | 1 |
| Ssr-1372 | 1 |
| Ssr-2462 Country Club Rd Ext | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wilkesboro) |
|---|---|
| Call St | 2 |
| River St | 2 |
| US-421 | 2 |
| Friendly Tire Warehous | 1 |
| Industrial Park Rd | 1 |
| Nc 16 | 1 |
| New Browns Ford | 1 |
| New Browns Ford Rd | 1 |
Wilkesboro at a glance
| Population | 3,620 |
| Land area | 6.6 sq mi |
| Density | 549 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28697) | $52,988 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28697) | $209,004 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wilkesboro 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 | 11 | — | 1.8 |
| 2000s | 19 | +70% | 1.8 |
| 2010s | 23 | +22% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 18 | -23% | 1.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 11 to 18. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wilkesboro
How common are truck crashes in Wilkesboro?
Since 2015, 225 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Wilkesboro (162 injured, 4 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Wilkesboro?
Since 2015, US-421 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wilkesboro: 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Wilkesboro?
October has the most truck crashes in Wilkesboro, 12.0% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Wilkesboro?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Wilkesboro since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Wilkesboro compare with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Wilkesboro has 550.0 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wilkesboro?
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.