ZIP 28428 (Carolina Beach, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28428: 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 |
New Hanover County has lower values than North Carolina for 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).
The headline for New Hanover County: 1 in 23 crashes involve a garbage truck (41 since 2015), vs 2.6% across North Carolina.
Overview
New Hanover County has recorded 924 truck crashes since 2015, with 500 people injured and 19 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.9% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (9.7%).
Road surface: 0.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 28428 since 2015 were spread across roads: S 17th St (1) and SR-133 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 41 crashes, 4.4% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in October (12%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.8 deaths compared with 1.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28428 fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in New Hanover County.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in October; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.9% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 2025 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 New Hanover County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| S 17th St | 1 |
| SR-133 | 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 28428 at a glance
| Population | 7,136 |
| Density | 534 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $93,241 |
| Median home value | $564,878 |
| Home ownership | 84% |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 50 to 71. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 28428
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 28428?
New Hanover County has had 924 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 500 people and killing 19.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 28428?
The worst month is March: 10.2% of truck crashes in New Hanover County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28428?
Garbage trucks were involved in 41 reported crashes in New Hanover County since 2015 (4.4% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 28428 compared with North Carolina?
New Hanover County records 34.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 28428?
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.