ZIP 28698 (Zionville, NC) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 28698: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Watauga 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
5 of 257 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Watauga County compares with North Carolina
Watauga County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Watauga County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Watauga County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 43.8 | 61.3 | 49.7 | 29% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 32% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.3% | 11% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.6% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 6.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.4% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 9.7% | 20.4% | 24.8% | 53% below the state |
Watauga County sits below North Carolina on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above North Carolina on on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
Watauga County at a glance: 10.6% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Overview
Since 2015, 257 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Watauga County. They injured 119 people and killed 7.
That averages about one truck crash every 15 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 10.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 5.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.1% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (11.3%).
Road surface: 10.6% 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 28698 since 2015: E King St (1), SR-105 (1), SR-194 (1) and US-421 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 1.9% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for ZIP 28698 fleets
- Plan November schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Watauga County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.8% of truck crashes here, more than North Carolina; adjust start times where you can.
- With 10.6% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 2022 and 2024, 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 Watauga County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| E King St | 1 |
| SR-105 | 1 |
| SR-194 | 1 |
| US-421 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Watauga County) |
|---|---|
| Blowing Rock Rd | 16 |
| Hwy 105 Ext | 9 |
| E King St | 7 |
| Nc 105 | 3 |
| US-421 | 3 |
| W King St | 3 |
| Chestnut Dr | 2 |
| Reynolds Parkway | 2 |
ZIP 28698 at a glance
| Population | 2,320 |
| Density | 35 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $54,402 |
| Median home value | $217,088 |
| Home ownership | 88% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Watauga 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 | 21 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 23 | +13% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 24 | +4% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 20 | -17% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 21 to 20. 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 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 28698
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 28698?
Since 2015, 257 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Watauga County (119 injured, 7 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 28698?
November has the most truck crashes in Watauga County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 28698?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Watauga County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 28698 compare with North Carolina for truck crashes?
Watauga County records 43.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 61.3 across North Carolina.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 28698?
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 2022 and 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.