ZIP 28210 (Charlotte, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28210: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Mecklenburg 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
3.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Mecklenburg County compares with North Carolina
Mecklenburg County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mecklenburg County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mecklenburg County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 73.1 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 40% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.66 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.9% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.7% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.3% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.4% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with North Carolina, Mecklenburg County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
ZIP 28210 at a glance: I-77 deadliest road: 15 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28210 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 9,717 crashes involving commercial trucks in Mecklenburg County since 2015: 6,305 people were injured and 150 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (9.3% of the year) and are lowest in December (7.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.0% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.7% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 28210 is I-77, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-85 (7), I-485 (6) and SR-16 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 187 of the truck crashes here, or 1.9%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (14% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.0, vs 1.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28210 fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-77, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at April 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.
Crash reporting for 2024 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Mecklenburg County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-77 | 15 |
| I-85 | 7 |
| I-485 | 6 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| US-29 | 3 |
| SR-49 | 2 |
| Steele Creek Rd | 2 |
| Carmel Rd | 1 |
| Matheson Ave | 1 |
| Mu-S Mint St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mecklenburg County) |
|---|---|
| Brookshire Blvd | 104 |
| N Tryon St | 89 |
| Wilkinson Blvd | 88 |
| Westinghouse Blvd | 79 |
| N Graham St | 77 |
| S Tryon St | 75 |
| Statesville Rd | 70 |
| Albemarle Rd | 69 |
ZIP 28210 at a glance
| Population | 47,359 |
| Density | 1,474 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $100,824 |
| Median home value | $531,388 |
| Home ownership | 56% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mecklenburg 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 | 175 | — | 7.5 |
| 2000s | 486 | +177% | 8.1 |
| 2010s | 839 | +73% | 9.7 |
| 2020s | 765 | -9% | 11.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 175 a year in the 1990s and 765 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 12.0 a year in 2016–19, 11.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28210
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 28210?
Since 2015, 9,717 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mecklenburg County (6,305 injured, 150 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 28210?
NHTSA data shows I-77 with 15 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28210 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 28210?
Truck crashes in Mecklenburg County peak in June, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 28210?
187 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Mecklenburg County since 2015, 1.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 28210 compare with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Mecklenburg County has 73.1 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 28210?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.