ZIP 28081 (Kannapolis, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28081: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Cabarrus 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 1.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Cabarrus County compares with North Carolina
Cabarrus County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cabarrus County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | Cabarrus County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 69.5 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 52% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.67 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.5% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 45% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.9% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.2% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.9% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 7% below the state |
Cabarrus County sits below North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in ZIP 28081: I-85 7 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 28081.
Overview
Police reported 1,874 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cabarrus County since 2015: 1,259 people were injured and 22 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.2% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 7.6% of truck crashes.
0.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 28081 is I-85, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-152 (5), SR-3 (2) and None - Parking Lot (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 61 crashes, 3.3% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (13% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.7, vs 1.2 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28081 fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cabarrus County.
- Check whether your routes use I-85, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Cabarrus County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-85 | 7 |
| SR-152 | 5 |
| SR-3 | 2 |
| None - Parking Lot | 1 |
| SR-150 | 1 |
| SR-73 | 1 |
| Ssr-1002 | 1 |
| Ssr-1322 Ebenezer Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1350 Saw Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1430 George W Liles Pkwy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cabarrus County) |
|---|---|
| Concord Pkwy | 63 |
| Poplar Tent Rd | 50 |
| Davidson Hwy | 30 |
| Warren C Coleman Blvd | 20 |
| S Cannon Blvd | 18 |
| Derita Rd | 15 |
| Kannapolis Pkwy | 12 |
| Odell School Rd | 11 |
ZIP 28081 at a glance
| Population | 29,075 |
| Density | 371 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $71,665 |
| Median home value | $285,434 |
| Home ownership | 74% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cabarrus 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 | 53 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 95 | +81% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 154 | +62% | 2.1 |
| 2020s | 143 | -7% | 1.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 53 to 143. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28081
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28081?
1,874 truck crashes have been reported in Cabarrus County since 2015, with 22 deaths and 1,259 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 28081?
NHTSA data shows I-85 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28081 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28081?
Truck crashes in Cabarrus County peak in March, with 10.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28081?
Since 2015, Cabarrus County has reported 61 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.3% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 28081 compare with North Carolina?
Cabarrus County records 69.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 28081?
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.