Rancho San Diego, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rancho San Diego: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Rancho San Diego 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. It stands out for 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.
That averages about 2 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
Rancho San Diego had 0 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%.
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%).
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-8 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). Next come SR-52 (2), SR-54 (2) and Dehesa Rd (1).
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 Rancho San Diego fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-8, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.3% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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-8 | 5 |
| SR-52 | 2 |
| SR-54 | 2 |
| Dehesa Rd | 1 |
| Eastlake Pkwy | 1 |
| Greenfield Dr | 1 |
| Leucadia Blvd | 1 |
| Los Coches Rd | 1 |
| North Woodside Ave | 1 |
| Otay Lakes 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 |
Rancho San Diego at a glance
| Land area | 8.7 sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 570 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 Rancho San Diego
How common are truck crashes in Rancho San Diego?
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 Rancho San Diego?
I-8 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Rancho San Diego since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Rancho San Diego?
The worst month is March: 8.8% of truck crashes in San Diego County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Rancho San Diego?
181 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in San Diego County since 2015, 2.7% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Rancho San Diego compared with California?
The yearly rate is 17.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in San Diego County, vs 33.2 for California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Rancho San Diego?
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.