Bear Creek, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bear Creek: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bear Creek and Merced County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Merced County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Merced County compares with California
Merced County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Merced County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Merced County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 86.4 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 2.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 11% below 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) | 23.9% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.1% | 6.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.0% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 31.8% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with California, Merced County is lower on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
What stands out in Bear Creek: SR-59 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Bear Creek: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Merced County has recorded 2,923 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,150 people injured and 124 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Bear Creek since 2015, this page uses Merced County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 12.4% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.0% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.3% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
SR-59 leads within 10 miles of Bear Creek with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-99 (6), G St (2) and SR-140 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 27 of the truck crashes here, or 0.9%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in March (19% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.7 deaths compared with 4.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Bear Creek fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-59, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Merced County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-59 | 7 |
| SR-99 | 6 |
| G St | 2 |
| SR-140 | 2 |
| CR-DICKENSON Ferry Rd | 1 |
| CR-MINTURN Road | 1 |
| E Childs Ave | 1 |
| Fox Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Merced County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-99 S/B | 23 |
| I-5 | 18 |
| SR-165 | 13 |
| Sr-99 N/B | 12 |
| Rt152/Volta Rd | 8 |
| SR-152 | 7 |
| Sr-152 W/B | 7 |
| SR-59 | 6 |
Bear Creek at a glance
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95340) | $71,193 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95340) | $399,834 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Merced 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 | 2 | — | 7.2 |
| 2000s | 142 | +7025% | 8.8 |
| 2010s | 198 | +39% | 6.6 |
| 2020s | 268 | +36% | 9.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 268. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 8.2 a year in 2016–19, 9.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bear Creek
How many truck accidents are there in Bear Creek?
Merced County has had 2,923 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,150 people and killing 124.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Bear Creek?
NHTSA data shows SR-59 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Bear Creek since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Bear Creek?
Truck crashes in Merced County peak in August, with 12.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Bear Creek?
27 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Merced County since 2015, 0.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Bear Creek compared with California?
Per 100,000 residents, Merced County has 86.4 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Bear Creek?
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.