Pala, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pala: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Pala 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 |
San Diego County has lower values than California for crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for San Diego County: 1 in 36 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 2.8%, vs 1.6% in California.
Overview
Police reported 6,646 crashes involving commercial trucks in San Diego County since 2015: 3,402 people were injured and 235 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Pala since 2015, this page uses San Diego County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 8.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 7.8%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.8% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (7.0%).
0.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Pala is I-15, with 11 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by SR-76 (3), E Mission Rd (1) and SR-395 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
181 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.7% share (California: 1.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in July (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.8 deaths compared with 3.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Pala fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-15 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- 26.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above California; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 San Diego County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-15 | 11 |
| SR-76 | 3 |
| E Mission Rd | 1 |
| SR-395 | 1 |
| SR-79 | 1 |
| Temecula Parkway | 1 |
| Valley Center Rd | 1 |
| Ynez Rd | 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 |
Pala at a glance
| Land area | 5.6 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 92059) | $99,803 |
| Median home value (ZIP 92059) | $561,155 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 13.5 a year in 2016–19, 19.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Pala
How many truck accidents are there in Pala?
San Diego County has had 6,646 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,402 people and killing 235.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Pala?
Since 2015, I-15 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Pala: 11.
When do most truck crashes happen in Pala?
March has the most truck crashes in San Diego County, 8.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Pala?
181 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in San Diego County since 2015, 2.7% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Pala compare with California?
The yearly rate is 17.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in San Diego County, vs 33.2 for California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Pala?
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.