Prunedale, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Prunedale: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Prunedale 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 Prunedale: 3.4× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Prunedale (1.2 → 4.2).
Overview
Police reported 1,633 crashes involving commercial trucks in Monterey County since 2015: 697 people were injured and 62 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Prunedale since 2015; patterns below come from Monterey County as a whole.
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.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.3% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
US-101 leads within 10 miles of Prunedale with 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-129 (3), SR-183 (3) and SR-1 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 29 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 1.6% across 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 Prunedale fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Monterey County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-101; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Monterey County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Monterey County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 8 |
| SR-129 | 3 |
| SR-183 | 3 |
| SR-1 | 2 |
| Blanco Rd | 1 |
| CR-ESPINOSA Rd | 1 |
| CR-SAN Miguel Canyon Rd | 1 |
| CR-SAN Miguel Canyon Road | 1 |
| Carlton Rd | 1 |
| Cooper Rd | 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 |
Prunedale at a glance
| Land area | 46.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 93907) | $104,942 |
| Median home value (ZIP 93907) | $750,009 |
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 |
In the 2000s about 85 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 139. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.5 a year in 2016–19, 6.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Prunedale
How common are truck crashes in Prunedale?
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 Prunedale?
Since 2015, US-101 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Prunedale: 8.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Prunedale?
Truck crashes in Monterey County peak in September, with 12.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Prunedale?
Since 2015, Monterey County has reported 29 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.8% of its truck crashes.
How does Prunedale compare with California for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Monterey County has 33.1 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Prunedale?
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.