Trinidad, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Trinidad: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Trinidad 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 |
Humboldt County sits below California 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.
The headline for Humboldt County: 2.4% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 0.9% across California.
Overview
Humboldt County has recorded 434 truck crashes since 2015, with 173 people injured and 37 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 9 days in fully reported years.
Trinidad had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Humboldt County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 10.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 5.8%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 32.2% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 9.2% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Trinidad happened on US-101 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 12 of the truck crashes here, or 2.8%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Route planning tips for Trinidad fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 | 2 |
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 |
Trinidad at a glance
| Population | 321 |
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Density | 658 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95570) | $74,777 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95570) | $649,907 |
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 Trinidad
How common are truck crashes in Trinidad?
434 truck crashes have been reported in Humboldt County since 2015, with 37 deaths and 173 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Trinidad?
July has the most truck crashes in Humboldt County, 10.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Trinidad?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Humboldt County since 2015 (2.8% of truck crashes).
How does Trinidad compare with California for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 29.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Humboldt County, vs 33.2 for California.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Trinidad?
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.