Lucerne, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lucerne: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lucerne 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 |
Lake County sits below California on garbage-truck share, winter months (nov–mar) and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Lake County at a glance: 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.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Lucerne since 2015; patterns below come from Lake County as a whole.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 13.8% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.2%).
November through March accounts for 36.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 11.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.5% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Lucerne is SR-20, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-29 (2), 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 Lucerne fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-20 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 1.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above California), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-20 | 5 |
| SR-29 | 2 |
| 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 |
Lucerne at a glance
| Land area | 5.4 sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 16 a year in the 2000s and 27 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 Lucerne
How many truck accidents are there in Lucerne?
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 Lucerne?
SR-20 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Lucerne since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Lucerne?
Truck crashes in Lake County peak in June, with 13.8% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lucerne?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Lucerne compare with California for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 36.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 33.2 for California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Lucerne?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.