South Dos Palos, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Dos Palos: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South Dos Palos 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.
South Dos Palos at a glance: SR-152 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of South Dos Palos: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 2,923 crashes involving commercial trucks in Merced County since 2015: 1,150 people were injured and 124 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
South Dos Palos had 0 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
The worst month is August with 12.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 36.0% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out 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
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of South Dos Palos is SR-152, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: Eucalyptus Rd (1), Nees Av (1) and Nees Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 27 crashes, 0.9% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in March (19%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.7 deaths compared with 4.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for South Dos Palos fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Merced County.
- Check whether your routes use SR-152, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at March schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 | 7 |
| Eucalyptus Rd | 1 |
| Nees Av | 1 |
| Nees Ave | 1 |
| SR-33 | 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 |
South Dos Palos at a glance
| Land area | 1.5 sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 268 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 8.2 a year in 2016–19 and 9.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South Dos Palos
How common are truck crashes in South Dos Palos?
Since 2015, 2,923 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Merced County (1,150 injured, 124 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in South Dos Palos?
SR-152 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of South Dos Palos since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in South Dos Palos?
August has the most truck crashes in Merced County, 12.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in South Dos Palos?
Since 2015, Merced County has reported 27 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in South Dos Palos compared with California?
The yearly rate is 86.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Merced County, vs 33.2 for California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in South Dos Palos?
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.