Willits, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Willits: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Willits 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 |
Compared with California, Mendocino County is lower on garbage-truck share and after dark. Where it is higher: 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
With 5 truck crashes reported in Willits since 2015, this page uses Mendocino County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 10.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.4% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.4%).
2.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
US-101 leads within 10 miles of Willits with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: S Main St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.9% share (California: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Willits fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-101; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.1% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- 2.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above California; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 5 |
| S Main St | 1 |
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 |
Willits at a glance
| Population | 4,844 |
| Land area | 2.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,713 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95490) | $79,594 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95490) | $389,716 |
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. NHTSA counts 3.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Willits
How many truck crashes happen in Willits?
Mendocino County has had 543 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 228 people and killing 31.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Willits?
Since 2015, US-101 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Willits: 5.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Willits?
The worst month is October: 10.9% of truck crashes in Mendocino County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Willits?
Since 2015, Mendocino County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Willits compare 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 Willits?
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.