Monterey County, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Monterey County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.9 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Monterey County compares with California
Monterey County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Monterey County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Monterey County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 33.1 | 33.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 66% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.2% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 4.7% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 28% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 28.0% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 30% below the state |
| After dark | 24.5% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Monterey County sits below California on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Monterey County at a glance: 1.7× fatal truck crashes in Monterey County per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (6.0 vs 3.5).
Overview
Police reported 1,633 crashes involving commercial trucks in Monterey County since 2015: 697 people were injured and 62 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is September with 12.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 4.5%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 28.0% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
0.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
US-101 leads in Monterey County with 18 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-1 (4), SR-183 (3) and Alisal Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
29 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.8% share (California: 1.6%).
Their busiest month is February, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 3.9 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Monterey County fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-101 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Monterey County.
- 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 Monterey County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Monterey County) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 18 |
| SR-1 | 4 |
| SR-183 | 3 |
| Alisal Rd | 1 |
| Ave H | 1 |
| Blanco Rd | 1 |
| CR-ABBOTT St | 1 |
| CR-ESPINOSA Rd | 1 |
| CR-G17 River Rd | 1 |
| CR-LAURELES Grade | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Monterey County) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 26 |
| Rt101/Spence Rd | 20 |
| Rt101/Hartnell Rd | 7 |
| SR-1 | 6 |
| SR-183 | 4 |
| San Juan Road | 4 |
| Rt101/.1M N Boronda Rd | 4 |
| Rt101/.2M N John St | 4 |
Monterey County at a glance
| Population | 436,251 |
| Land area | 3,281.7 sq mi |
| Density | 133 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $96,792 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Monterey 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 | — | — | 5.2 |
| 2000s | 85 | — | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 134 | +57% | 3.5 |
| 2020s | 139 | +4% | 6.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 85 a year in the 2000s and 139 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 3.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 6.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Monterey County
ZIP codes in Monterey County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Monterey County
How many truck accidents are there in Monterey County?
1,633 truck crashes have been reported in Monterey County since 2015, with 62 deaths and 697 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Monterey County?
US-101 had 18 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Monterey County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Monterey County?
September has the most truck crashes in Monterey County, 12.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Monterey County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 29 reported crashes in Monterey County since 2015 (1.8% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Monterey County compare with California?
Monterey County records 33.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Monterey County?
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.