Carlsbad, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Carlsbad: 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
6 of 229 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Carlsbad compares with California
Carlsbad against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carlsbad stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Carlsbad | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.4 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 48% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 61% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 51% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.1% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.5% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 15% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.5% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.2% | 29.1% | 24.8% | same |
Carlsbad has lower values than California for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
Carlsbad at a glance: 1 in 36 crashes involve a garbage truck (6 since 2015), vs 1.6% across California.
Overview
Carlsbad has recorded 229 truck crashes since 2015, with 98 people injured and 3 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 19 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in April (11.4% of the year) and are lowest in October (4.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.5% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 7.4% of truck crashes.
0.5% 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 (12). It is followed by I-15 (10), SR-76 (4) and SR-78 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 2.6%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Route planning tips for Carlsbad fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Carlsbad.
- Look at alternatives to I-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Carlsbad
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 12 |
| I-15 | 10 |
| SR-76 | 4 |
| SR-78 | 4 |
| Buena Creek Rd | 1 |
| Del Dios Hwy | 1 |
| El Camino Real | 1 |
| El Norte Pkwy | 1 |
| Gopher Cnyn Rd | 1 |
| Harmony Grove Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Carlsbad) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 4 |
| Rt 5 Nb / 500 Feet North Of Palomar Airport Rd | 2 |
| Rt5 Nb/544Ft N Carlsbad Village Dr | 2 |
| Rt5/.2M S Cannon Rd | 2 |
| Rt5 Sb/10Ft S Poinsettia Ln | 2 |
| Rt5/.5M S Palomar Airport Rd | 2 |
| Rt5/200Ft S Poinsetta Ln | 2 |
| Rt5/8Ft N Poinsettia Ln | 1 |
Carlsbad at a glance
| Population | 113,575 |
| Land area | 37.8 sq mi |
| Density | 3,004 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 92011) | $159,235 |
| Median home value (ZIP 92011) | $1,306,713 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Carlsbad 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 | — | — | 14.4 |
| 2000s | 17 | — | 16.2 |
| 2010s | 17 | +1% | 12.4 |
| 2020s | 20 | +22% | 19.8 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 17 to 20. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 13.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 19.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Carlsbad
How many truck accidents are there in Carlsbad?
Since 2015, 229 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Carlsbad (98 injured, 3 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Carlsbad?
Since 2015, I-5 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Carlsbad: 12.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Carlsbad?
The worst month is April: 11.4% of truck crashes in Carlsbad happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Carlsbad?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in Carlsbad since 2015 (2.6% of truck crashes).
How does Carlsbad compare with California for truck crashes?
Carlsbad records 17.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Carlsbad?
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.