ZIP 28040 (Ellenboro, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28040: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Rutherford 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
2 of 309 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rutherford County compares with North Carolina
Rutherford County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rutherford County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rutherford County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.4 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 36% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.58 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 73% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.2% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.3% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 17.2% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Rutherford County sits below North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes.
What stands out in Rutherford County: 1 in 143 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 2.6% across North Carolina.
Overview
Police reported 309 crashes involving commercial trucks in Rutherford County since 2015: 180 people were injured and 9 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in September (13.3% of the year) and are lowest in February (4.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.3% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 10.4% of truck crashes.
1.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
US-74 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 28040 with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-64 (2), Ssr-1351 New House Rd (1) and Ssr-1352 Crower Ridge Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.6% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 28040 fleets
- Build extra time into September routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-74; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Rutherford County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-74 | 5 |
| US-64 | 2 |
| Ssr-1351 New House Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1352 Crower Ridge Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1533 Moriah School Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rutherford County) |
|---|---|
| College Ave | 6 |
| Railroad Ave | 5 |
| College Avenue | 5 |
| S Broadway St | 4 |
| W Main St | 3 |
| Withrow Rd | 3 |
| Buffalo Creek Rd | 2 |
| Charlotte Rd | 2 |
ZIP 28040 at a glance
| Population | 6,961 |
| Density | 40 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $58,816 |
| Median home value | $178,395 |
| Home ownership | 85% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rutherford 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 | 18 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 26 | +44% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 28 | +5% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 24 | -14% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 18 to 24. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28040
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 28040?
Since 2015, 309 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rutherford County (180 injured, 9 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 28040?
NHTSA data shows US-74 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28040 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28040?
September has the most truck crashes in Rutherford County, 13.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28040?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Rutherford County since 2015, 0.6% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 28040 compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 39.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rutherford County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 28040?
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.