Arcata, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Arcata: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Arcata and Humboldt County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Humboldt County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 434 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Humboldt County compares with California
Humboldt County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Humboldt County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Humboldt County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.2 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.4% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 2.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.8% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 2.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 32.2% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 20% below the state |
| After dark | 24.0% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Compared with California, Humboldt County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and winter months (nov–mar). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Humboldt County: 2.4% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Overview
Humboldt County has recorded 434 truck crashes since 2015, with 173 people injured and 37 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 9 days.
Only 10 truck crashes were reported in Arcata since 2015; patterns below come from Humboldt County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.8% of the year) and are lowest in November (5.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 32.2% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (9.2%).
2.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Arcata is US-101, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come Myrtle Ave (1) and SR-299 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 12 crashes, 2.8% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
Route planning tips for Arcata fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-101; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 2.4% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above California), 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.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Humboldt County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 4 |
| Myrtle Ave | 1 |
| SR-299 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Humboldt County) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 5 |
| SR-36 | 4 |
| SR-299 | 3 |
| Central Av/Gwin Rd | 2 |
| Rt101/.7M S Kane Rd | 2 |
| Rt101/.8M S Kane Rd | 2 |
| Rt101/1.2M S Kane Rd | 2 |
| Rt96/.6M E Slate Creek Rd | 2 |
Arcata at a glance
| Population | 18,748 |
| Land area | 9.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,991 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Humboldt 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 | — | — | 2.4 |
| 2000s | 29 | — | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 34 | +16% | 2.1 |
| 2020s | 39 | +14% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 29 a year in the 2000s and 39 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Arcata
How common are truck crashes in Arcata?
Since 2015, 434 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Humboldt County (173 injured, 37 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Arcata?
Since 2015, US-101 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Arcata: 4.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Arcata?
The worst month is July: 10.8% of truck crashes in Humboldt County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Arcata?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Humboldt County since 2015 (2.8% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Arcata compared with California?
Per 100,000 residents, Humboldt County has 29.2 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Arcata?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.