South Lake Tahoe, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Lake Tahoe: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use El Dorado County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 491 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How El Dorado County compares with California
El Dorado County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where El Dorado County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | El Dorado County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 22.6 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 32% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 31% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 16% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.0% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 16.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.2% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.4% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 2.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.6% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 16.1% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 45% below the state |
Compared with California, El Dorado County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
El Dorado County at a glance: 15.0% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 0.9% in California.
Overview
El Dorado County has recorded 491 truck crashes since 2015, with 184 people injured and 12 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
South Lake Tahoe had 22 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use El Dorado County numbers.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 10.4% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.6% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 9.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.0% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of South Lake Tahoe since 2015: SR-207 (1), SR-89 (1) and US-50 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 12 crashes, 2.4% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
Route planning tips for South Lake Tahoe fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 15.0% of truck crashes here, more than California; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 El Dorado County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-207 | 1 |
| SR-89 | 1 |
| US-50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (El Dorado County) |
|---|---|
| US-50 | 5 |
| Mother Lode Dr/Davidson Rd | 3 |
| Lake Tahoe Blvd | 3 |
| Emerald Bay Rd/600Ft E Of Airport Rd | 2 |
| Emerald Bay Rd/D St | 2 |
| Ice House Rd/White Meadow Rd | 2 |
| Marshall Rd/.3M N Scott Rd | 2 |
| Missouri Flat Rd | 2 |
South Lake Tahoe at a glance
| Population | 21,225 |
| Land area | 10.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2,108 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in El Dorado 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 | — | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 37 | — | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 33 | -12% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 45 | +37% | 0.4 |
In the 2000s about 37 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 45. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South Lake Tahoe
How many truck accidents are there in South Lake Tahoe?
El Dorado County has had 491 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 184 people and killing 12.
When do most truck crashes happen in South Lake Tahoe?
August has the most truck crashes in El Dorado County, 10.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in South Lake Tahoe?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in El Dorado County since 2015 (2.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in South Lake Tahoe compare with California?
El Dorado County records 22.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in South Lake Tahoe?
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.