Lafayette, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lafayette: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lafayette and Contra Costa County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Contra Costa County numbers.
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 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.6%, against 1.6% for 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.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
Only 47 truck crashes were reported in Lafayette since 2015; patterns below come from Contra Costa County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in November (7.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Lafayette is I-680, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by I-880 (2), Bancroft Way (1) and Clayton Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 60 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 1.6% in California.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (15%).
They recorded 3.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Lafayette fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Contra Costa County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-680; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Contra Costa County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.3% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-680 | 8 |
| I-880 | 2 |
| Bancroft Way | 1 |
| Clayton Rd | 1 |
| College Ave | 1 |
| Merriewood Dr | 1 |
| Pacheco Blvd | 1 |
| Port Chicago Hwy | 1 |
| Reliez Valley Rd | 1 |
| SR-24 | 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 |
Lafayette at a glance
| Population | 25,371 |
| Land area | 15.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,689 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 94549) | $234,516 |
| Median home value (ZIP 94549) | $1,923,141 |
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 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 123 to 207. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 5.8 a year in 2016–19, 6.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lafayette
How common are truck crashes in Lafayette?
2,377 truck crashes have been reported in Contra Costa County since 2015, with 73 deaths and 1,171 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lafayette?
Since 2015, I-680 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Lafayette: 8.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lafayette?
August has the most truck crashes in Contra Costa County, 10.1% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lafayette?
Since 2015, Contra Costa County has reported 60 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Lafayette compare with California?
Contra Costa County records 17.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lafayette?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.