Thornton, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Thornton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Thornton and San Joaquin County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use San Joaquin County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How San Joaquin County compares with California
San Joaquin County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where San Joaquin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | San Joaquin County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.6 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 30% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 84% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.0% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.9% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.8% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.3% | 29.1% | 24.8% | same |
San Joaquin County sits below California on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above California on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Thornton: 1.9× fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Thornton per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (3.8 vs 2.0).
Overview
San Joaquin County has recorded 6,266 truck crashes since 2015, with 3,001 people injured and 228 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in Thornton since 2015; patterns below come from San Joaquin County as a whole.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.8% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-5 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (14). It is followed by SR-12 (6), Thornton Rd (3) and SR-99 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 75 crashes, 1.2% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in October (16%).
They recorded 4.3 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Thornton fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-5; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in October; review collection routes for that month.
- 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 Joaquin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-5 | 14 |
| SR-12 | 6 |
| Thornton Rd | 3 |
| SR-99 | 2 |
| CR-PELTIER Rd | 1 |
| Twin Cities Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (San Joaquin County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-99 S/B | 23 |
| Sr-99 N/B | 21 |
| I-5 | 16 |
| Sr-4 W/B | 14 |
| SR-99 | 12 |
| Sr-120 E/B | 11 |
| SR-4 | 11 |
| SR-12 | 10 |
Thornton at a glance
| Land area | 2.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95686) | $52,109 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95686) | $449,839 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in San Joaquin 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 | — | 12.8 |
| 2000s | 315 | +15665% | 12.0 |
| 2010s | 434 | +38% | 11.6 |
| 2020s | 561 | +29% | 19.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 561. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 14.2 a year in 2016–19 and 19.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Thornton
How many truck crashes happen in Thornton?
Since 2015, 6,266 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in San Joaquin County (3,001 injured, 228 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Thornton?
I-5 had 14 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Thornton since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Thornton?
Truck crashes in San Joaquin County peak in August, with 9.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Thornton?
75 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in San Joaquin County since 2015, 1.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Thornton compared with California?
Per 100,000 residents, San Joaquin County has 66.6 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Thornton?
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.