Lake County, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 275 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with California
Lake County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.1 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.8 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 32% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.5% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.2% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.8% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.4% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 13.0% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 55% below the state |
Lake County has lower values than California for garbage-truck share, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. It runs above California on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Lake County: 7.8 people killed per 100 truck crashes (California: 3.6).
Overview
Police reported 275 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lake County since 2015: 140 people were injured and 21 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 15 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 13.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.2%.
November through March accounts for 36.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (11.6%).
1.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Lake County is SR-20, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-29 (6), Hwy 13 (1) and SR-175 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
3 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (California: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Lake County fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-20; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 1.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above California; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Lake County) |
|---|---|
| SR-20 | 7 |
| SR-29 | 6 |
| Hwy 13 | 1 |
| SR-175 | 1 |
| SR-281 | 1 |
| SR-53 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| SR-20 | 5 |
| SR-29 | 4 |
| Rt20/Irvine Ave | 3 |
| Rt 53 / 68 Ft S Of 40Th Av | 2 |
| Rt20/ High Valley Rd | 2 |
| Rt20/.2Mi W Of Witter Springs Rd | 2 |
| Rt20/.3M W Colusa County Line | 2 |
| Rt20/.8M E Blue Lakes Rd | 2 |
Lake County at a glance
| Population | 67,764 |
| Land area | 1,255.1 sq mi |
| Density | 54 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $62,733 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | — | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 16 | — | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 18 | +13% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 27 | +52% | 2.2 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 16 to 27. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Lake County
ZIP codes in Lake County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Lake County
How many truck crashes happen in Lake County?
275 truck crashes have been reported in Lake County since 2015, with 21 deaths and 140 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lake County?
Since 2015, SR-20 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Lake County: 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake County?
The worst month is June: 13.8% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Lake County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Lake County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How does Lake County compare with California for truck crashes?
Lake County records 36.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Lake 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.