Pacific Grove, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pacific Grove: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Pacific Grove and Monterey County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Monterey County numbers.
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 has lower values than California for on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar). It runs above California on deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Monterey County: September worst month: 12.9% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
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.
Only 8 truck crashes were reported in Pacific Grove since 2015; patterns below come from Monterey County as a whole.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 12.9% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (4.5%).
November through March accounts for 28.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Pacific Grove since 2015 were spread across roads: Cr- Carmel Valley Rd (1) and Madison St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 29 of the truck crashes here, or 1.8%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (14% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 3.9 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Pacific Grove fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Monterey County.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Monterey County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Monterey County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Cr- Carmel Valley Rd | 1 |
| Madison St | 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 |
Pacific Grove at a glance
| Population | 14,851 |
| Land area | 2.9 sq mi |
| Density | 5,182 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 93950) | $106,065 |
| Median home value (ZIP 93950) | $1,190,432 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.5 a year in 2016–19 and 6.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Pacific Grove
How many truck accidents are there in Pacific Grove?
Monterey County has had 1,633 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 697 people and killing 62.
When do most truck crashes happen in Pacific Grove?
The worst month is September: 12.9% of truck crashes in Monterey County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Pacific Grove?
29 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Monterey County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
How does Pacific Grove compare with California for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Monterey County has 33.1 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Pacific Grove?
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.