Contra Costa County, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Contra Costa 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
3.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Contra Costa County compares with California
Contra Costa County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Contra Costa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Contra Costa County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.7 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 47% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 14% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 86% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.3% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.3% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.3% | 29.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with California, Contra Costa County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Contra Costa County: 1 in 38 crashes involve a garbage truck (60 since 2015), vs 1.6% across California.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,377 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Contra Costa County. They injured 1,171 people and killed 73.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 10.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.8% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.1% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
SR-4 leads in Contra Costa County with 16 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-80 (11), I-680 (9) and I-580 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 60 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Their busiest month is February, with 15% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Contra Costa County fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-4; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at February schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 26.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above California; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Contra Costa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Contra Costa County) |
|---|---|
| SR-4 | 16 |
| I-80 | 11 |
| I-680 | 9 |
| I-580 | 3 |
| Vasco Rd | 2 |
| Byron Hwy | 1 |
| CR-MARSH Creek Road | 1 |
| CR-VASCO Rd | 1 |
| Clayton Rd | 1 |
| Cutting Blvd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Contra Costa County) |
|---|---|
| SR-4 | 21 |
| I-680 | 14 |
| Sr-4 W/B | 8 |
| Sr-4 E/B | 5 |
| Richmond Pkwy/Pittsburg Av | 5 |
| Clayton Rd | 4 |
| I-80 | 4 |
| Sr160 Sb/1500Ft N Wilbur Av | 3 |
Contra Costa County at a glance
| Population | 1,172,607 |
| Land area | 716.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,636 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $137,257 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Contra Costa 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 | — | — | 4.8 |
| 2000s | 123 | — | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 176 | +43% | 3.7 |
| 2020s | 207 | +17% | 6.2 |
In the 2000s about 123 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 207. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 5.8 a year in 2016–19, 6.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Contra Costa County
ZIP codes in Contra Costa County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Contra Costa County
How many truck accidents are there in Contra Costa County?
2,377 truck crashes have been reported in Contra Costa County since 2015, with 73 deaths and 1,171 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Contra Costa County?
NHTSA data shows SR-4 with 16 fatal large-truck crashes in Contra Costa County since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Contra Costa County?
Truck crashes in Contra Costa County peak in August, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Contra Costa County?
Since 2015, Contra Costa County has reported 60 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Contra Costa County compare with California?
Per 100,000 residents, Contra Costa County has 17.7 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Contra Costa 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.