Santa Monica, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Santa Monica: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Santa Monica and Los Angeles County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Los Angeles County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Los Angeles County compares with California
Los Angeles County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Los Angeles County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Los Angeles County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 31.4 | 33.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 31% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 82% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.8% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.8% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.9% | 29.1% | 24.8% | same |
Los Angeles County has lower values than California for deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above California on garbage-truck share.
Santa Monica at a glance: I-405 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Santa Monica: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 34,951 crashes involving commercial trucks in Los Angeles County since 2015: 14,954 people were injured and 875 were killed.
That averages about 8 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
Santa Monica had 73 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Los Angeles County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (8.9% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.8% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 6.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.2% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
I-405 leads within 10 miles of Santa Monica with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come Century Blvd (2), I-10 (2) and Aviation Bl (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 634 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (11%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.5 deaths compared with 2.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Santa Monica fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-405; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Los Angeles County.
- 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 Los Angeles County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-405 | 7 |
| Century Blvd | 2 |
| I-10 | 2 |
| Aviation Bl | 1 |
| Canfield Ave | 1 |
| Culver Blvd | 1 |
| Hindry Ave | 1 |
| I-105 | 1 |
| Kinross Ave | 1 |
| La Brea Ave West Alley | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Los Angeles County) |
|---|---|
| I-605 | 43 |
| I-5 | 43 |
| SR-60 | 33 |
| SR-91 | 25 |
| I-10 W/B (San Bernardino Fwy) | 22 |
| I-5 S/B (Golden State Freeway) | 22 |
| Sr-14 N/B | 22 |
| I-710 S/B (Long Beach Freeway) | 19 |
Santa Monica at a glance
| Population | 90,729 |
| Land area | 8.4 sq mi |
| Density | 10,790 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Los Angeles 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 | 12 | — | 62.3 |
| 2000s | 2,148 | +17804% | 55.4 |
| 2010s | 2,934 | +37% | 48.7 |
| 2020s | 2,943 | +0% | 61.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 2,943 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 54.0 a year in 2016–19, 61.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Santa Monica
How many truck crashes happen in Santa Monica?
34,951 truck crashes have been reported in Los Angeles County since 2015, with 875 deaths and 14,954 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Santa Monica?
Since 2015, I-405 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Santa Monica: 7.
When do most truck crashes happen in Santa Monica?
The worst month is October: 8.9% of truck crashes in Los Angeles County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Santa Monica?
634 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Los Angeles County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
How does Santa Monica compare with California for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Los Angeles County has 31.4 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Santa Monica?
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.