ZIP 28478 (Willard, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28478: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Pender 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
11 of 535 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pender County compares with North Carolina
Pender County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pender County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | Pender County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.5 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.74 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 19% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.8% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 52% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 7% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.1% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.3% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Compared with North Carolina, Pender County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Pender County: 4.2 people killed per 100 truck crashes (North Carolina: 2.5).
Overview
Pender County has recorded 535 truck crashes since 2015, with 392 people injured and 23 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 10.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 7.1%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.0% of truck crashes, vs 41.0% for North Carolina.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 10.5% of truck crashes.
0.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 28478 since 2015: US-117 (3), US-421 (3), I-40 (1), SR-11 (1) and SR-41 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 11 crashes, 2.1% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28478 fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Pender County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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.
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 Pender County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-117 | 3 |
| US-421 | 3 |
| I-40 | 1 |
| SR-11 | 1 |
| SR-41 | 1 |
| SR-53 | 1 |
| Ssr-1101 Cornwallis Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1206 Tuckahoe Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pender County) |
|---|---|
| Nc Hwy 53 | 3 |
| Private Property | 3 |
| Alderman St | 2 |
| E Bridgers St | 2 |
| Phoenix Travel Mart | 2 |
| W Wilmington St | 2 |
| Berkshire Dr. | 1 |
| Coastal Car Care Pva | 1 |
ZIP 28478 at a glance
| Population | 5,017 |
| Density | 16 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $73,388 |
| Median home value | $171,453 |
| Home ownership | 91% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pender 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 | 27 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 29 | +8% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 43 | +47% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 43 | +0% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 27 to 43. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28478
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28478?
Since 2015, 535 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Pender County (392 injured, 23 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 28478?
Truck crashes in Pender County peak in August, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 28478?
Since 2015, Pender County has reported 11 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.1% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 28478 compare with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Pender County has 68.5 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 28478?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
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.