ZIP 27231 (Cedar Grove, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 27231: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Orange County, 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
15 of 1,142 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Orange County compares with North Carolina
Orange County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Orange County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Orange County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 63.0 | 61.3 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 16% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 52% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 4.7% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 2.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.6% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.6% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 24.7% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Orange County has lower values than North Carolina for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar).
Orange County at a glance: 4.7% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 1.7% in North Carolina.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,142 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Orange County. They injured 655 people and killed 22.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 6.5%.
November through March accounts for 44.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
4.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-49 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by I-85 (2), SR-86 (2) and I-40 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 15 of the truck crashes here, or 1.3%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for ZIP 27231 fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use SR-49, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 4.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Orange County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-49 | 3 |
| I-85 | 2 |
| SR-86 | 2 |
| I-40 | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| US-70 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Orange County) |
|---|---|
| E Franklin St | 9 |
| Mt Carmel Church Rd | 4 |
| S Columbia St | 4 |
| Cornelius St | 3 |
| Pittsboro St | 3 |
| S Churton St | 3 |
| S Estes Dr | 3 |
| Smith Level Rd | 3 |
ZIP 27231 at a glance
| Population | 2,331 |
| Density | 26 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $64,471 |
| Median home value | $268,360 |
| Home ownership | 84% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Orange 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 | 44 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 58 | +30% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 81 | +42% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 97 | +20% | 2.0 |
In the 1990s about 44 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 97. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 27231
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 27231?
Since 2015, 1,142 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Orange County (655 injured, 22 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 27231?
NHTSA data shows SR-49 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 27231 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 27231?
The worst month is February: 10.3% of truck crashes in Orange County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 27231?
Since 2015, Orange County has reported 15 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 27231 compared with North Carolina?
Orange County records 63.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 27231?
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.