ZIP 28104 (Matthews, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28104: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Union 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Union County compares with North Carolina
Union County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Union County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Union County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.1 | 61.3 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.70 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 74% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.1% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.3% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 30% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.2% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.3% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 10% below the state |
Union County sits below North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
ZIP 28104 at a glance: US-74 deadliest road: 4 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28104 since 2015.
Overview
Union County has recorded 1,866 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,295 people injured and 34 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 9.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 6.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.2% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.0%).
Road surface: 0.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 28104 is US-74, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-16 (3), US-601 (2) and Carmel Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 62 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in October (15%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 1.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28104 fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Union County.
- Check whether your routes use US-74, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at October schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 26.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above North Carolina; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Union County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-74 | 4 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| US-601 | 2 |
| Carmel Rd | 1 |
| I-485 | 1 |
| Quail Hollow Rd | 1 |
| Rea Rd | 1 |
| SR-200 | 1 |
| SR-218 | 1 |
| SR-51 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Union County) |
|---|---|
| US-74 | 24 |
| Skyway Dr | 23 |
| Old Charlotte Hwy | 20 |
| Old Monroe Rd | 18 |
| Stallings Rd | 15 |
| Morgan Mill Rd | 14 |
| W Roosevelt Blvd | 10 |
| Potter Rd | 9 |
ZIP 28104 at a glance
| Population | 36,641 |
| Density | 478 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $138,017 |
| Median home value | $536,481 |
| Home ownership | 91% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Union 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 | 54 | — | 3.0 |
| 2000s | 98 | +80% | 2.9 |
| 2010s | 148 | +52% | 2.8 |
| 2020s | 138 | -7% | 2.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 54 to 138. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28104
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 28104?
1,866 truck crashes have been reported in Union County since 2015, with 34 deaths and 1,295 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 28104?
Since 2015, US-74 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28104: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 28104?
The worst month is July: 9.8% of truck crashes in Union County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28104?
Since 2015, Union County has reported 62 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.3% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 28104 compare with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Union County has 61.1 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 28104?
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.