ZIP 28213 (Charlotte, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28213: 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 has lower values than North Carolina for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in ZIP 28213: I-85 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28213: 13 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 2 truck crashes every 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%).
Road surface: 0.7% 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 28213 is I-85, with 13 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-485 (9), I-77 (8) and SR-24 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
187 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.9% share (North Carolina: 2.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (14% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.0 deaths compared with 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28213 fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-85 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2024; rates and comparisons skip those years.
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 | 13 |
| I-485 | 9 |
| I-77 | 8 |
| SR-24 | 3 |
| SR-16 | 2 |
| US-29 | 2 |
| Alexanderiana Rd | 1 |
| Blair Rd | 1 |
| Hovis Rd | 1 |
| Matheson Ave | 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 28213 at a glance
| Population | 45,904 |
| Density | 1,246 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $58,146 |
| Median home value | $280,839 |
| Home ownership | 44% |
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. NHTSA counts 12.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 11.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28213
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 28213?
9,717 truck crashes have been reported in Mecklenburg County since 2015, with 150 deaths and 6,305 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 28213?
Since 2015, I-85 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28213: 13.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28213?
The worst month is June: 9.3% of truck crashes in Mecklenburg County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28213?
Garbage trucks were involved in 187 reported crashes in Mecklenburg County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 28213 compared with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 73.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Mecklenburg County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 28213?
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.