ZIP 28579 (Smyrna, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28579: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Carteret 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
13 of 264 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Carteret County compares with North Carolina
Carteret County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2023 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carteret County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2023) | Carteret County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.1 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 38% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.69 | 0.66 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.1% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 73% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 4.7% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 56% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.4% | 41.0% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 8.9% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 56% below the state |
Carteret County has lower values than North Carolina for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Carteret County: 1 in 16 crashes involve a garbage truck (13 since 2015), vs 2.6% across North Carolina.
Overview
Carteret County has recorded 264 truck crashes since 2015, with 186 people injured and 5 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 14 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 10.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 4.9%.
November through March accounts for 36.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (12.1%).
Road surface: 0.5% 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 28579 since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-101 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 4.9%, compared with 2.6% in North Carolina.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28579 fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 26.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above North Carolina; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 2021, 2024 and 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 Carteret County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-101 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Carteret County) |
|---|---|
| Bridges St | 5 |
| Arendell St | 2 |
| Buddy Parker Lane | 2 |
| Kangaroo | 2 |
| Turner St | 2 |
| Business Dr | 1 |
| Circle K | 1 |
| Danny Varner Building | 1 |
ZIP 28579 at a glance
| Population | 331 |
| Density | 7 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $64,519 |
| Median home value | $460,650 |
| Home ownership | 86% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Carteret 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 | 13 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 16 | +17% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 22 | +44% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 23 | +4% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 13 to 23. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28579
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28579?
264 truck crashes have been reported in Carteret County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 186 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 28579?
The worst month is June: 10.6% of truck crashes in Carteret County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 28579?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Carteret County since 2015, 4.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 28579 compare with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 38.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Carteret County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 28579?
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 2021, 2024 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.