Clearlake, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Clearlake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Clearlake and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
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 |
Compared with California, Lake County is lower on garbage-truck share, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Lake County at a glance: 7.8 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.6 in California.
Overview
Since 2015, 275 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lake County. They injured 140 people and killed 21.
That averages about one truck crash every 15 days in fully reported years.
Only 8 truck crashes were reported in Clearlake since 2015; patterns below come from Lake County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 13.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.2%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.4% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 11.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 1.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Clearlake is SR-29, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-20 (3), Hwy 13 (1) and SR-281 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Route planning tips for Clearlake fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-29 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 1.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above California; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-29 | 4 |
| SR-20 | 3 |
| Hwy 13 | 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 |
Clearlake at a glance
| Population | 16,636 |
| Land area | 10.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,642 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95422) | $42,241 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95422) | $205,284 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Clearlake
How many truck crashes happen in Clearlake?
275 truck crashes have been reported in Lake County since 2015, with 21 deaths and 140 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Clearlake?
Since 2015, SR-29 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Clearlake: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Clearlake?
The worst month is June: 13.8% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Clearlake?
Since 2015, Lake County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.1% of its truck crashes.
How does Clearlake compare with California for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Lake County has 36.1 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Clearlake?
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.