ZIP 28274 (Charlotte, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28274: 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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in ZIP 28274: I-77 14 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 28274.
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%.
November through March accounts for 41.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-77 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (14). It is followed by I-85 (12), I-485 (8) and US-29 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 187 crashes, 1.9% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Their busiest month is April, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.0 deaths compared with 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28274 fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mecklenburg County.
- Look at alternatives to I-77 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
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.
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 | 14 |
| I-85 | 12 |
| I-485 | 8 |
| US-29 | 5 |
| SR-16 | 3 |
| SR-24 | 3 |
| SR-49 | 2 |
| Steele Creek Rd | 2 |
| Carmel Rd | 1 |
| Hovis 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 28274 at a glance
| Population | 747 |
| Density | 4,860 per sq mi |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 175 to 765. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 28274
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28274?
Since 2015, 9,717 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mecklenburg County (6,305 injured, 150 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 28274?
I-77 had 14 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 28274 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28274?
June has the most truck crashes in Mecklenburg County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28274?
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 28274 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 28274?
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.