Alta Sierra, Kern County, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Alta Sierra, Kern County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Alta Sierra, Kern County and Kern County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kern County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 5.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Kern County compares with California
Kern County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kern County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kern County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.6 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 2.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 41% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.9% | 0.9% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.6% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.1% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 21% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.3% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 34.6% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Kern County has lower values than California for garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
The headline for Kern County: December garbage-truck crashes peak in December (17% of the year's total).
Overview
Since 2015, 7,248 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Kern County. They injured 3,414 people and killed 403.
That averages about 2 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
Alta Sierra, Kern County had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Kern County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (9.4% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.3% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 6.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.9% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
SR-178 leads within 10 miles of Alta Sierra with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-155 (1) and Sugarloaf Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 69 of the truck crashes here, or 1.0%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Their busiest month is December, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 9.0, vs 5.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Alta Sierra, Kern County fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kern County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-178; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kern County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-178 | 3 |
| SR-155 | 1 |
| Sugarloaf Dr | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kern County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-99 N/B | 31 |
| Sr-58 W/B | 23 |
| I-5 | 22 |
| Sr-58 E/B | 21 |
| SR-58 | 20 |
| Sr-99 S/B | 17 |
| SR-99 | 17 |
| SR-223 | 11 |
Alta Sierra, Kern County at a glance
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 93285) | $40,275 |
| Median home value (ZIP 93285) | $235,001 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kern 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 | 5 | — | 23.6 |
| 2000s | 398 | +7854% | 20.5 |
| 2010s | 543 | +37% | 21.7 |
| 2020s | 659 | +21% | 28.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 659 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 25.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 28.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Alta Sierra, Kern County
How common are truck crashes in Alta Sierra, Kern County?
7,248 truck crashes have been reported in Kern County since 2015, with 403 deaths and 3,414 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Alta Sierra, Kern County?
NHTSA data shows SR-178 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Alta Sierra since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Alta Sierra, Kern County?
The worst month is August: 9.4% of truck crashes in Kern County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Alta Sierra, Kern County?
69 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Kern County since 2015, 1.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Alta Sierra, Kern County compare with California?
The yearly rate is 68.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Kern County, vs 33.2 for California.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Alta Sierra, Kern County?
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.