Palmdale, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Palmdale: 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 324 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Palmdale compares with California
Palmdale against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Palmdale stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Palmdale | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.3 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 48% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.1 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.0× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 41% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 66% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.6% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.6% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 45% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.5% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.4% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with California, Palmdale is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above California on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and after dark.
Palmdale at a glance: 7.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (California: 3.6).
Overview
Police reported 324 crashes involving commercial trucks in Palmdale since 2015: 198 people were injured and 22 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 13 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 12.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 37.5% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 15 miles of Palmdale is SR-138, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-14 (8), Sierra Hwy (4) and Avenue H (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 0.9% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
Route planning tips for Palmdale fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-138 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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 Palmdale
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-138 | 15 |
| SR-14 | 8 |
| Sierra Hwy | 4 |
| Avenue H | 3 |
| Avenue G | 2 |
| Avenue J | 2 |
| 110th St W | 1 |
| 140th St E | 1 |
| 20th St E | 1 |
| 55th St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Palmdale) |
|---|---|
| Pearblossom Hwy/47Th St | 6 |
| Sr-14 N/B | 4 |
| Pearblossom Highway | 3 |
| Avenue M | 3 |
| Pearblossom Hwy | 3 |
| Pearblossom Hwy/25Th St | 3 |
| Rt14/50Ft S Technology Dr | 2 |
| Rt14/.1M S Rancho Vista Bl | 2 |
Palmdale at a glance
| Population | 162,536 |
| Land area | 106.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,532 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Palmdale 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 | — | — | 62.3 |
| 2000s | 13 | — | 55.4 |
| 2010s | 22 | +69% | 48.7 |
| 2020s | 27 | +23% | 61.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 13 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. NHTSA counts 54.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 61.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Palmdale
How many truck crashes happen in Palmdale?
324 truck crashes have been reported in Palmdale since 2015, with 22 deaths and 198 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Palmdale?
SR-138 had 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Palmdale since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Palmdale?
The worst month is June: 12.3% of truck crashes in Palmdale happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Palmdale?
Since 2015, Palmdale has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Palmdale compare with California?
The yearly rate is 17.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Palmdale, vs 33.2 for California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Palmdale?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.