Poway, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Poway: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Poway 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 sits below California on 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).
San Diego County at a glance: 1 in 36 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.8%, against 1.6% for California.
Overview
San Diego County has recorded 6,646 truck crashes since 2015, with 3,402 people injured and 235 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
Poway had 41 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
Truck crashes peak in March (8.8% of the year) and are lowest in November (7.8%).
November through March accounts for 41.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 7.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.3% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-15 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (10). After it: SR-67 (4), SR-52 (2) and Del Dios Hwy (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 Poway 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.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 26.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above California; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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-15 | 10 |
| SR-67 | 4 |
| SR-52 | 2 |
| Del Dios Hwy | 1 |
| Harmony Grove Rd | 1 |
| SR-78 | 1 |
| San Pasqual Valley Rd | 1 |
| Scripps Poway Pkwy | 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 |
Poway at a glance
| Population | 49,435 |
| Land area | 39.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,265 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 92064) | $148,673 |
| Median home value (ZIP 92064) | $1,030,996 |
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 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 Poway
How many truck crashes happen in Poway?
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 Poway?
I-15 had 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Poway since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Poway?
March has the most truck crashes in San Diego County, 8.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Poway?
Since 2015, San Diego County has reported 181 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.7% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Poway compared 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 Poway?
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.