ZIP 28602 (Hickory, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28602: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Catawba 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Catawba County compares with North Carolina
Catawba County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Catawba County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Catawba County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 73.7 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.59 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.9% | 10.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.5% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.1% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Catawba County sits below North Carolina on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
ZIP 28602 at a glance: I-40 6 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 28602.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,434 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Catawba County. They injured 844 people and killed 27.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in November (9.1% of the year) and are lowest in December (7.5%).
November through March accounts for 42.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 41.0% in North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.0%).
Road surface: 1.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Carolina: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 28602 with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-10 (2), SR-1400 (2) and US-321 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 53 crashes, 3.7% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in July (13% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28602 fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- 1.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above North Carolina; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Catawba County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 6 |
| SR-10 | 2 |
| SR-1400 | 2 |
| US-321 | 2 |
| 9th Ave | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| Ssr-1005 Mcdonald Pkwy Ne | 1 |
| Ssr-1005 Startown Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-127 | 1 |
| Ssr-1491 Section House Rd Nw | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Catawba County) |
|---|---|
| Rock Barn Rd Ne | 40 |
| Conover Blvd | 25 |
| Thornburg Dr Ne | 19 |
| 1St St | 15 |
| Startown Rd | 14 |
| 1St Ave Sw | 11 |
| 8Th St Dr Se | 11 |
| Mcdonald Pkwy Se | 11 |
ZIP 28602 at a glance
| Population | 31,113 |
| Density | 170 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $62,048 |
| Median home value | $202,337 |
| Home ownership | 63% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Catawba 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 | 68 | — | 3.5 |
| 2000s | 89 | +30% | 2.0 |
| 2010s | 116 | +30% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 111 | -4% | 2.2 |
In the 1990s about 68 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 111. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28602
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28602?
Catawba County has had 1,434 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 844 people and killing 27.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 28602?
I-40 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 28602 since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 28602?
Truck crashes in Catawba County peak in November, with 9.1% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28602?
Garbage trucks were involved in 53 reported crashes in Catawba County since 2015 (3.7% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 28602 compared with North Carolina?
The yearly rate is 73.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Catawba County, vs 61.3 for North Carolina.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 28602?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.