National City, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in National City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in National City and San Diego County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use San Diego County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How San Diego County compares with California
San Diego County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where San Diego County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | San Diego County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.6 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 47% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 70% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.3% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.4% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.8% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.0% | 29.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with California, San Diego County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above California on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in San Diego County: 1 in 36 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.8%, against 1.6% for California.
Overview
Since 2015, 6,646 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in San Diego County. They injured 3,402 people and killed 235.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 2 truck crashes every day.
National City had 108 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use San Diego County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 8.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.8%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 7.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of National City is I-5, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-163 (4), I-805 (3) and SR-15 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 181 of the truck crashes here, or 2.7%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Their busiest month is July, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 2.8 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for National City fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in San Diego County.
- Check whether your routes use I-5, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- Morning starts matter: 26.3% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than California.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 San Diego County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 5 |
| SR-163 | 4 |
| I-805 | 3 |
| SR-15 | 3 |
| I-8 | 2 |
| SR-905 | 2 |
| 1000 Sixth Ave | 1 |
| 5th Ave | 1 |
| Alvarado Canyon Rd | 1 |
| B St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (San Diego County) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 33 |
| I-805 | 29 |
| I-15 | 28 |
| SR-15 | 10 |
| I-8 | 9 |
| SR-78 | 7 |
| Sr-78 E/B | 7 |
| SR-52 | 5 |
National City at a glance
| Population | 58,460 |
| Land area | 7.3 sq mi |
| Density | 7,956 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 91950) | $66,426 |
| Median home value (ZIP 91950) | $610,881 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in San Diego 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 | — | 14.4 |
| 2000s | 411 | +20465% | 16.2 |
| 2010s | 514 | +25% | 12.4 |
| 2020s | 570 | +11% | 19.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 570. 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 National City
How many truck crashes happen in National City?
San Diego County has had 6,646 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,402 people and killing 235.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in National City?
NHTSA data shows I-5 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of National City since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in National City?
Truck crashes in San Diego County peak in March, with 8.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in National City?
Since 2015, San Diego County has reported 181 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in National City compare with California?
Per 100,000 residents, San Diego County has 17.6 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in National City?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.