Sacramento, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sacramento: 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
2.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Sacramento compares with California
Sacramento against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sacramento stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sacramento | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 33.6 | 33.2 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 22% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 95% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.1% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.1% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.2% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Compared with California, Sacramento is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Sacramento: 11.1% in rain, sleet or snow, against 6.5% across California.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,051 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Sacramento. They injured 904 people and killed 58.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (10.0% of the year) and are lowest in November (6.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.3% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.0% of truck crashes.
0.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-5 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (23). Next come I-80 (17), SR-99 (14) and US-50 (9).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 46 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (13%).
They recorded 2.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Sacramento fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-5; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Sacramento
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 23 |
| I-80 | 17 |
| SR-99 | 14 |
| US-50 | 9 |
| SR-16 | 5 |
| Watt Ave | 3 |
| CR-STOCKTON Blvd | 2 |
| Florin Rd | 2 |
| Fruitridge Rd | 2 |
| Industrial Blvd | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sacramento) |
|---|---|
| Us-50 E/B | 12 |
| Sr-99 S/B | 8 |
| Sr-99 N/B | 8 |
| Us-50 W/B | 7 |
| Florin Perkins Rd/24Th Av | 6 |
| I-5 | 6 |
| Rt5 Nb/1.87M S Consumnes River Blvd | 4 |
| Rt5/75Ft N Garden Hwy | 4 |
Sacramento at a glance
| Population | 535,798 |
| Land area | 98.6 sq mi |
| Density | 5,432 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sacramento 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 | — | — | 8.3 |
| 2000s | 168 | — | 8.7 |
| 2010s | 160 | -5% | 8.8 |
| 2020s | 178 | +12% | 12.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 168 a year in the 2000s and 178 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 14.0 a year in 2016–19 and 12.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sacramento
How common are truck crashes in Sacramento?
Since 2015, 2,051 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Sacramento (904 injured, 58 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Sacramento?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Sacramento: 23.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Sacramento?
October has the most truck crashes in Sacramento, 10.0% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Sacramento?
46 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Sacramento since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Sacramento compared with California?
Per 100,000 residents, Sacramento has 33.6 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Sacramento?
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.