ZIP 28403 (Wilmington, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28403: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in New Hanover 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
2.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How New Hanover County compares with North Carolina
New Hanover County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where New Hanover County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | New Hanover County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.4 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 44% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.3% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 79% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.6% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 11.3% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 44% below the state |
Compared with North Carolina, New Hanover County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
New Hanover County at a glance: 1 in 23 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.3%, vs 2.6% in North Carolina.
Overview
Since 2015, 924 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in New Hanover County. They injured 500 people and killed 19.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 10.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.5%.
November through March accounts for 40.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.4% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28403 since 2015 were spread across roads: US-421 (3), US-74 (3), Ssr-1336 Sidbury Rd (2), US-17 (2) and Covil Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 41 crashes, 4.4% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in October (12% of them).
They recorded 2.8 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28403 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: October is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in New Hanover County.
- Morning starts matter: 25.9% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than North Carolina.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Reporting was incomplete in 2025, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in New Hanover County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-421 | 3 |
| US-74 | 3 |
| Ssr-1336 Sidbury Rd | 2 |
| US-17 | 2 |
| Covil Ave | 1 |
| I-40 | 1 |
| Morningside Dr | 1 |
| S 17th St | 1 |
| SR-133 | 1 |
| Ssr-1175 N Kerr Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (New Hanover County) |
|---|---|
| Market St | 54 |
| Carolina Beach Rd | 54 |
| S College Rd | 33 |
| S 17Th St | 17 |
| Oleander Dr | 14 |
| Shipyard Blvd | 13 |
| Eastwood Rd | 12 |
| Martin Luther King Jr | 12 |
ZIP 28403 at a glance
| Population | 40,319 |
| Density | 1,110 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $54,547 |
| Median home value | $388,987 |
| Home ownership | 36% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in New Hanover 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 | 50 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 62 | +23% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 84 | +37% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 71 | -16% | 2.2 |
In the 1990s about 50 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 71. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28403
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 28403?
New Hanover County has had 924 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 500 people and killing 19.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28403?
March has the most truck crashes in New Hanover County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28403?
41 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in New Hanover County since 2015, 4.4% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 28403 compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
New Hanover County records 34.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 28403?
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 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.