Auburn, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Auburn: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Auburn and Placer County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Placer 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 2.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Placer County compares with California
Placer County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Placer County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Placer County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 33.8 | 33.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 25% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 1.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.5% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 11.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.0% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 19% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.6% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 3.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.5% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.5% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Compared with California, Placer County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Placer County: 10.5% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,682 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Placer County. They injured 662 people and killed 44.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
Auburn had 50 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Placer County numbers.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.5% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (7.8%).
10.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-49 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). Next come CR-AUBURN Folsom Rd (1), CR-FORESTHILL Rd (1) and CR-LOZANOS Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 30 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in November (20% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Auburn fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Placer County.
- Check whether your routes use SR-49, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Placer County.
- 10.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above California; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Placer County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-49 | 3 |
| CR-AUBURN Folsom Rd | 1 |
| CR-FORESTHILL Rd | 1 |
| CR-LOZANOS Rd | 1 |
| CR-VIRGINIA Dr | 1 |
| I-80 | 1 |
| SR-193 | 1 |
| Sierra College Blvd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Placer County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 13 |
| Rt80/287Ft E Old Nyack Rd | 5 |
| Rt80 Wb/1.2M E Carpenter Flat Rd | 5 |
| Rt 80/1.8Mi W Of Blue Canyon Rd | 5 |
| Rt80/.09M W Cape Horn Rd | 4 |
| Sierra College Blvd | 3 |
| Rt80/3005Ft E Of Ridge Rd | 3 |
| Rt80/246Ft W Of Donner Pass Rd | 3 |
Auburn at a glance
| Population | 13,780 |
| Land area | 7.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,920 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95603) | $85,357 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95603) | $644,558 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Placer 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 | — | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 86 | — | 2.6 |
| 2010s | 112 | +31% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 161 | +44% | 4.0 |
In the 2000s about 86 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 161. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 4.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Auburn
How common are truck crashes in Auburn?
Placer County has had 1,682 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 662 people and killing 44.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Auburn?
Since 2015, SR-49 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Auburn: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Auburn?
The worst month is March: 10.2% of truck crashes in Placer County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Auburn?
30 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Placer County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
How does Auburn compare with California for truck crashes?
Placer County records 33.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Auburn?
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.