ZIP 28016 (Bessemer City, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28016: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Gaston 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
1.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Gaston County compares with North Carolina
Gaston County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Gaston County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Gaston County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 73.6 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 28% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.70 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.1% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 38% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.0% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.3% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.8% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Gaston County has lower values than North Carolina for deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for ZIP 28016: I-85 deadliest road: 11 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28016 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 2,086 crashes involving commercial trucks in Gaston County since 2015: 1,440 people were injured and 38 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (9.4% of the year) and are lowest in December (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.0% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 7.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.1% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-85 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (11). It is followed by US-321 (3), US-74 (2) and Brownstone Ct (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 61 of the truck crashes here, or 2.9%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in November (18%).
They recorded 1.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28016 fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Gaston County.
- Look at alternatives to I-85 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in November; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Gaston County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 11 |
| US-321 | 3 |
| US-74 | 2 |
| Brownstone Ct | 1 |
| N Chester St | 1 |
| SR-216 | 1 |
| SR-274 | 1 |
| SR-7 | 1 |
| Ssr-1128 Chapel Grove Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1622 Hephzibah Church Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Gaston County) |
|---|---|
| N Chester St | 60 |
| E Franklin Blvd | 34 |
| W Franklin Blvd | 16 |
| S York Rd | 16 |
| Bessemer City Rd | 16 |
| Gastonia Dallas Hwy | 16 |
| N New Hope Rd | 15 |
| S New Hope Rd | 15 |
ZIP 28016 at a glance
| Population | 13,109 |
| Density | 118 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $57,147 |
| Median home value | $220,151 |
| Home ownership | 75% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Gaston 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 | 91 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 118 | +30% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 151 | +28% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 178 | +18% | 3.0 |
In the 1990s about 91 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 178. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.8 a year in 2016–19, 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28016
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28016?
Gaston County has had 2,086 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,440 people and killing 38.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 28016?
NHTSA data shows I-85 with 11 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28016 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 28016?
Truck crashes in Gaston County peak in March, with 9.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 28016?
Garbage trucks were involved in 61 reported crashes in Gaston County since 2015 (2.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 28016 compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 73.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Gaston County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 28016?
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.