Covelo, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Covelo: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Covelo and Mendocino County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Mendocino County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 543 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Mendocino County compares with California
Mendocino County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mendocino County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mendocino County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.4 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 54% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.7% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 2.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.1% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.8% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 2.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.4% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.7% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 22% below the state |
Mendocino County sits below California on garbage-truck share and after dark. It runs above California on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Mendocino County: 2.7% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Overview
Since 2015, 543 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Mendocino County. They injured 228 people and killed 31.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Covelo since 2015, this page uses Mendocino County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 38.4% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Covelo since 2015: SR-162 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 0.9%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Route planning tips for Covelo fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.1% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 2.7% of truck crashes here, more than California; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Mendocino County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-162 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mendocino County) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 12 |
| SR-1 | 5 |
| SR-162 | 3 |
| SR-128 | 3 |
| Rt20/.3M E Rd 144 | 3 |
| N State St/.1M N Pomo Dr | 2 |
| Orr Springs Rd/2.3Mi W Of Pinoleville Rd | 2 |
| Rt1/.51M S Navarro Bluff Rd | 2 |
Covelo at a glance
| Land area | 7.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95428) | $46,339 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95428) | $480,686 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mendocino 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 | — | — | 4.2 |
| 2000s | 35 | — | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 42 | +18% | 2.1 |
| 2020s | 50 | +19% | 2.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 35 a year in the 2000s and 50 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 3.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Covelo
How many truck accidents are there in Covelo?
Since 2015, 543 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mendocino County (228 injured, 31 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Covelo?
October has the most truck crashes in Mendocino County, 10.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Covelo?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Mendocino County since 2015 (0.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Covelo compared with California?
Mendocino County records 53.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Covelo?
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.