ZIP 28226 (Charlotte, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28226: 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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
ZIP 28226 at a glance: I-77 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28226: 15 since 2015.
Overview
Mecklenburg County has recorded 9,717 truck crashes since 2015, with 6,305 people injured and 150 killed.
That averages about 2 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
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.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, 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
I-77 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 28226 with 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-485 (5), SR-16 (3) and SR-49 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 187 of the truck crashes here, or 1.9%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Their busiest month is April, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28226 fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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.
- 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-77 | 15 |
| I-485 | 5 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| SR-49 | 2 |
| Steele Creek Rd | 2 |
| US-74 | 2 |
| Carmel Rd | 1 |
| Matheson Ave | 1 |
| Mu-S Mint St | 1 |
| Old Pineville Rd | 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 28226 at a glance
| Population | 39,381 |
| Density | 1,032 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $118,606 |
| Median home value | $619,379 |
| Home ownership | 68% |
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 28226
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 28226?
9,717 truck crashes have been reported in Mecklenburg County since 2015, with 150 deaths and 6,305 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 28226?
Since 2015, I-77 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28226: 15.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 28226?
The worst month is June: 9.3% of truck crashes in Mecklenburg County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28226?
Garbage trucks were involved in 187 reported crashes in Mecklenburg County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 28226 compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
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 28226?
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.