Cape Charles, VA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cape Charles: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cape Charles and Northampton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Northampton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Northampton County compares with Virginia
Northampton County against Virginia and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Northampton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | Northampton County | Virginia | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 804.7 | 51.1 | 49.7 | 15.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.7% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 76% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.5% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.9% | 14.8% | 13.8% | 20% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.8% | 39.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.3% | 24.3% | 24.8% | 29% below the state |
Northampton County has lower values than Virginia for on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Cape Charles: US-13 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Cape Charles.
Overview
Police reported 1,012 crashes involving commercial trucks in Northampton County since 2015: 499 people were injured and 41 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
Only 12 truck crashes were reported in Cape Charles since 2015; patterns below come from Northampton County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 6.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.8% of truck crashes, against 39.8% across Virginia.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 9.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.7% of truck crashes, compared with 3.0% in Virginia.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-13 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 30 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 2.5% in Virginia.
Their busiest month is October, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 6.7, vs 4.0 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Cape Charles fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-13, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at October schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 25.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Virginia.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Northampton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-13 | 5 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Northampton County) |
|---|---|
| I-64 | 71 |
| I-664 | 45 |
| Interstate 64 East | 44 |
| SR-13 | 42 |
| I-64 East | 33 |
| Interstate 64 West | 28 |
| I-64 West | 27 |
| Interstate 664 North | 25 |
Cape Charles at a glance
| Population | 1,288 |
| Land area | 3.6 sq mi |
| Density | 363 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 23310) | $62,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 23310) | $348,684 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Northampton 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 | 8 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 14 | +71% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 81 | +464% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 114 | +41% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 114. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cape Charles
How many truck crashes happen in Cape Charles?
Since 2015, 1,012 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Northampton County (499 injured, 41 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Cape Charles?
US-13 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cape Charles since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cape Charles?
July has the most truck crashes in Northampton County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Cape Charles?
Since 2015, Northampton County has reported 30 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Cape Charles compare with Virginia for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Northampton County has 804.7 truck crashes a year; Virginia has 51.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cape Charles?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.