ZIP 27517 (Chapel Hill, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 27517: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Chatham 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
10 of 685 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chatham County compares with North Carolina
Chatham County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chatham County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chatham County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 69.2 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 44% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 39% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.7% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.4% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.0% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 24% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.6% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.2% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Chatham County sits below North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Chatham County: 2.7% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Overview
Police reported 685 crashes involving commercial trucks in Chatham County since 2015: 373 people were injured and 10 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.2% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 42.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.7% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 27517 since 2015 were spread across roads: I-40 (1), Renaissance Pkwy (1), SR-751 (1), Ssr-1107 Stagecoach Rd (1) and Ssr-1109 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 10 crashes, 1.5% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for ZIP 27517 fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.4% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 2.7% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Chatham County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 1 |
| Renaissance Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-751 | 1 |
| Ssr-1107 Stagecoach Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1109 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chatham County) |
|---|---|
| E 11Th St | 8 |
| E Eleventh St | 5 |
| E Raleigh St | 3 |
| East Eleventh St | 3 |
| E 3Rd St | 2 |
| East Eleventh Street | 2 |
| Progress Blvd | 2 |
| S Chatham Ave | 2 |
ZIP 27517 at a glance
| Population | 29,564 |
| Density | 248 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $128,683 |
| Median home value | $605,256 |
| Home ownership | 67% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chatham 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 | 34 | — | 3.1 |
| 2000s | 33 | -2% | 2.1 |
| 2010s | 53 | +59% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 52 | -2% | 1.4 |
In the 1990s about 34 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 52. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 27517
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 27517?
685 truck crashes have been reported in Chatham County since 2015, with 10 deaths and 373 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 27517?
The worst month is October: 10.2% of truck crashes in Chatham County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 27517?
10 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Chatham County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 27517 compare with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Chatham County has 69.2 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 27517?
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.