Los Banos, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Los Banos: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Los Banos 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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
What stands out in Los Banos: SR-152 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Los Banos: 11 since 2015.
Overview
Merced County has recorded 2,923 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,150 people injured and 124 killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Los Banos had 70 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Merced County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (12.4% of the year) and are lowest in February (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.
0.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
SR-152 leads within 10 miles of Los Banos with 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-5 (5), Henry Miller Ave (1) and Henry Miller Avenue (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
27 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.9% share (California: 1.6%).
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 Los Banos fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-152; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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-152 | 11 |
| I-5 | 5 |
| Henry Miller Ave | 1 |
| Henry Miller Avenue | 1 |
| SR-165 | 1 |
| SR-33 | 1 |
| Volta 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 |
Los Banos at a glance
| Population | 48,684 |
| Land area | 10.0 sq mi |
| Density | 4,870 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 93635) | $67,129 |
| Median home value (ZIP 93635) | $445,175 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 268. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 8.2 a year in 2016–19, 9.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Los Banos
How many truck accidents are there in Los Banos?
2,923 truck crashes have been reported in Merced County since 2015, with 124 deaths and 1,150 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Los Banos?
NHTSA data shows SR-152 with 11 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Los Banos since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Los Banos?
Truck crashes in Merced County peak in August, with 12.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Los Banos?
Since 2015, Merced County has reported 27 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
How does Los Banos compare with California for truck crashes?
Merced County records 86.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Los Banos?
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.