ZIP 28480 (Wrightsville Beach, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28480: 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 sits below North Carolina 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).
What stands out in New Hanover County: 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.2% of the year) and are lowest in February (6.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.9% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 28480 since 2015: Ssr-1336 Sidbury Rd (2), US-17 (2), US-74 (2), Covil Ave (1) and Morningside Dr (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 41 crashes, 4.4% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Their busiest month is October, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.8, vs 1.9 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28480 fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at October schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.9% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
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) |
|---|---|
| Ssr-1336 Sidbury Rd | 2 |
| US-17 | 2 |
| US-74 | 2 |
| Covil Ave | 1 |
| Morningside Dr | 1 |
| S 17th St | 1 |
| SR-133 | 1 |
| Ssr-1175 N Kerr Ave | 1 |
| Ssr-1302 N 23rd St | 1 |
| Ssr-2048 Gordon Rd | 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 28480 at a glance
| Population | 2,776 |
| Density | 275 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $172,500 |
| Median home value | $1,139,276 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
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 large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28480
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28480?
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 28480?
March has the most truck crashes in New Hanover County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 28480?
Since 2015, New Hanover County has reported 41 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 28480 compared with North Carolina?
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 28480?
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 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.