ZIP 28212 (Charlotte, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28212: 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 |
Mecklenburg County sits below North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for ZIP 28212: I-85 deadliest road: 11 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28212 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
The worst month is June with 9.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 7.7%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.0% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.6% of truck crashes.
0.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-85 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (11). It is followed by I-77 (8), I-485 (6) and US-29 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 187 of the truck crashes here, or 1.9%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.0, vs 1.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28212 fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mecklenburg County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-85; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Mecklenburg County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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-85 | 11 |
| I-77 | 8 |
| I-485 | 6 |
| US-29 | 3 |
| SR-16 | 2 |
| SR-24 | 2 |
| US-74 | 2 |
| Blair 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 28212 at a glance
| Population | 42,440 |
| Density | 1,784 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $52,723 |
| Median home value | $267,122 |
| Home ownership | 38% |
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 |
In the 1990s about 175 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 765. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 12.0 a year in 2016–19 and 11.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28212
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28212?
9,717 truck crashes have been reported in Mecklenburg County since 2015, with 150 deaths and 6,305 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 28212?
Since 2015, I-85 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28212: 11.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28212?
June has the most truck crashes in Mecklenburg County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28212?
Since 2015, Mecklenburg County has reported 187 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 28212 compared with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Mecklenburg County has 73.1 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 28212?
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 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.