Vista, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Vista: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Vista 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. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Vista: 2.4× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Vista: 1.5 in 2016–19, 3.6 in 2020–24.
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.
Vista had 114 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.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out 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
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Vista since 2015 were spread across roads: I-15 (6), I-5 (6), SR-76 (4), SR-78 (4) and Buena Creek Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
181 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.7% share (California: 1.6%).
Their busiest month is July, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 2.8, vs 3.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Vista fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at July schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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
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-15 | 6 |
| I-5 | 6 |
| SR-76 | 4 |
| SR-78 | 4 |
| Buena Creek Rd | 1 |
| Gopher Cnyn Rd | 1 |
| Harmony Grove Rd | 1 |
| N Melrose Dr | 1 |
| N River Rd | 1 |
| Oceanside Blvd | 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 |
Vista at a glance
| Population | 99,322 |
| Land area | 19.0 sq mi |
| Density | 5,235 per 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 |
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 Vista
How common are truck crashes in Vista?
Since 2015, 6,646 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in San Diego County (3,402 injured, 235 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Vista?
March has the most truck crashes in San Diego County, 8.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Vista?
181 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in San Diego County since 2015, 2.7% of all truck crashes.
How does Vista compare with California for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, San Diego County has 17.6 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Vista?
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.