Santa Cruz County, AZ truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Santa Cruz County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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 of 207 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Santa Cruz County compares with Arizona
Santa Cruz County against Arizona and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Santa Cruz County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Santa Cruz County | Arizona | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.9 | 35.9 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 5.2 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 3.2% | 6.2% | 100% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 12.4% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 45% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.1% | 5.3% | 13.8% | 41% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.4% | 42.1% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 19.1% | 30.0% | 24.8% | 36% below the state |
Compared with Arizona, Santa Cruz County is lower on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Arizona on winter months (nov–mar).
What stands out in Santa Cruz County: 0.0% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 3.2% across Arizona.
Overview
Santa Cruz County has recorded 207 truck crashes since 2015, with 41 people injured and 10 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 21 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in April (12.6% of the year) and are lowest in September (3.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.4% of truck crashes, against 42.1% across Arizona.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (13.0%).
Road surface: 0.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Arizona: 3.2%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Santa Cruz County since 2015: I-19 (3) and SR-82 (3). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.0%, compared with 1.6% in Arizona.
Route planning tips for Santa Cruz County fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Santa Cruz County.
- 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Santa Cruz County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Santa Cruz County) |
|---|---|
| I-19 | 3 |
| SR-82 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Santa Cruz County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-19B (1)@12 Mesa Verde Dr | 5 |
| I-19 Noncard@M025 | 4 |
| Sr-82@M032 | 3 |
| I-19 Noncard@M029 | 3 |
| I-19 Noncard@M023 | 3 |
| I-19 Noncard@M005 | 3 |
| 12W Mariposa Rd @12N Loma Mariposa | 3 |
| 12N Mariposa Rd @12N Target Range | 2 |
Santa Cruz County at a glance
| Population | 50,508 |
| Land area | 1,236.3 sq mi |
| Density | 41 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $55,486 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Santa Cruz 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 | 3 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 13 | +287% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 9 | -27% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 17 | +81% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 3 a year in the 1990s and 17 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Santa Cruz County
ZIP codes in Santa Cruz County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Santa Cruz County
How many truck accidents are there in Santa Cruz County?
Santa Cruz County has had 207 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 41 people and killing 10.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Santa Cruz County?
Truck crashes in Santa Cruz County peak in April, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Santa Cruz County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Santa Cruz County since 2015 (1.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Santa Cruz County compare with Arizona?
Santa Cruz County records 34.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 35.9 across Arizona.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Santa Cruz County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.