ZIP 28098 (Lowell, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28098: 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 sits below North Carolina on 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.
ZIP 28098 at a glance: I-85 deadliest road: 13 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28098 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 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%).
November through March accounts for 40.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.1% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
I-85 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 28098 with 13 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-485 (4), US-29 (3) and SR-273 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 61 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Their busiest month is November, with 18% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.7 deaths compared with 1.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28098 fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-85; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Gaston County.
- 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 | 13 |
| I-485 | 4 |
| US-29 | 3 |
| SR-273 | 2 |
| US-321 | 2 |
| US-74 | 2 |
| Brookshire Blvd | 1 |
| Brownstone Ct | 1 |
| Moores Chapel Rd | 1 |
| Mt Holly 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 28098 at a glance
| Population | 3,851 |
| Density | 408 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $53,000 |
| Median home value | $199,174 |
| Home ownership | 76% |
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 28098
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28098?
Since 2015, 2,086 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Gaston County (1,440 injured, 38 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 28098?
Since 2015, I-85 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28098: 13.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28098?
The worst month is March: 9.4% of truck crashes in Gaston County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 28098?
Garbage trucks were involved in 61 reported crashes in Gaston County since 2015 (2.9% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 28098 compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Gaston County records 73.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 28098?
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.