San Luis Obispo, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in San Luis Obispo: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in San Luis Obispo and San Luis Obispo County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use San Luis Obispo County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
15 of 920 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How San Luis Obispo County compares with California
San Luis Obispo County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where San Luis Obispo County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | San Luis Obispo County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 28.4 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 14% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 1.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.3% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 63% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.0% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.1% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 24.9% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
San Luis Obispo County sits below California on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for San Luis Obispo: US-101 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of San Luis Obispo: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 920 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in San Luis Obispo County. They injured 371 people and killed 30.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 5 days.
With 68 truck crashes reported in San Luis Obispo since 2015, this page uses San Luis Obispo County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in September (10.4% of the year) and are lowest in January (5.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.1% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
0.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-101 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). It is followed by SR-193 (1), South Higuera St (1) and W Pozo Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 15 of the truck crashes here, or 1.6%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Route planning tips for San Luis Obispo fleets
- Build extra time into September routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-101; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Luis Obispo County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 4 |
| SR-193 | 1 |
| South Higuera St | 1 |
| W Pozo Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (San Luis Obispo County) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 15 |
| SR-1 | 8 |
| SR-46E | 5 |
| Rt101/Wellsona Rd | 4 |
| SR-41 | 3 |
| Rt46/4220Ft W Lucy Brown Rd | 3 |
| Rt166/4M E Alamo Creek Rd | 3 |
| Creston Rd | 2 |
San Luis Obispo at a glance
| Population | 49,729 |
| Land area | 13.6 sq mi |
| Density | 3,646 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in San Luis Obispo 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 | — | — | 3.2 |
| 2000s | 56 | — | 2.6 |
| 2010s | 72 | +28% | 2.6 |
| 2020s | 80 | +12% | 2.2 |
In the 2000s about 56 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 80. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 3.2 a year in 2016–19, 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about San Luis Obispo
How many truck crashes happen in San Luis Obispo?
San Luis Obispo County has had 920 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 371 people and killing 30.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in San Luis Obispo?
NHTSA data shows US-101 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of San Luis Obispo since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in San Luis Obispo?
The worst month is September: 10.4% of truck crashes in San Luis Obispo County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in San Luis Obispo?
Since 2015, San Luis Obispo County has reported 15 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in San Luis Obispo compared with California?
The yearly rate is 28.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in San Luis Obispo County, vs 33.2 for California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in San Luis Obispo?
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.