El Cajon, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in El Cajon: 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 209 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How El Cajon compares with California
El Cajon against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where El Cajon stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | El Cajon | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.9 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 46% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 100% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.2% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.5% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 47% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 33.0% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 18% below the state |
| After dark | 20.2% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 31% below the state |
El Cajon has lower values than California for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for El Cajon: 1 in 34 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.0%, against 1.6% for California.
Overview
Police reported 209 crashes involving commercial trucks in El Cajon since 2015: 111 people were injured and 8 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 20 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 12.4% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (5.7%).
November through March accounts for 33.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (10.0%).
Road surface: 0.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of El Cajon since 2015: I-15 (8), I-8 (8), I-5 (5), I-805 (5) and SR-163 (5). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
6 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.9% share (California: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for El Cajon fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 El Cajon
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-15 | 8 |
| I-8 | 8 |
| I-5 | 5 |
| I-805 | 5 |
| SR-163 | 5 |
| SR-67 | 4 |
| SR-15 | 3 |
| SR-52 | 3 |
| SR-54 | 2 |
| 1000 Sixth Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (El Cajon) |
|---|---|
| Broadway | 2 |
| Rt67/110Ft N Of Bradley Av | 2 |
| Rt 8 Wb/655Ft W Of Mollison Ave | 2 |
| Rt8/50Ft E Mollison Ave | 2 |
| Rt8/.1M W 2Nd St | 2 |
| Valley Lake Dr/126.82Ft Lakewind St | 1 |
| Vernon Wy/335Ft E Of Pioneer Wy | 1 |
| W Bradley Av/517Ft W N Johnson Av | 1 |
El Cajon at a glance
| Population | 103,291 |
| Land area | 14.5 sq mi |
| Density | 7,119 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 92020) | $76,032 |
| Median home value (ZIP 92020) | $813,150 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in El Cajon 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 | 10 | — | 16.2 |
| 2010s | 14 | +32% | 12.4 |
| 2020s | 19 | +41% | 19.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 10 a year in the 2000s and 19 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 13.5 a year in 2016–19 and 19.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about El Cajon
How common are truck crashes in El Cajon?
209 truck crashes have been reported in El Cajon since 2015, with 8 deaths and 111 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in El Cajon?
The worst month is October: 12.4% of truck crashes in El Cajon happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in El Cajon?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in El Cajon since 2015 (2.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in El Cajon compare with California?
El Cajon records 17.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How can I plan a safer truck route in El Cajon?
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.