Highlands, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Highlands: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Highlands and San Mateo County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use San Mateo County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How San Mateo County compares with California
San Mateo County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where San Mateo County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | San Mateo County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 15.7 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 53% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 25% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 100% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.0% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.6% | 6.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.0% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.3% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 23% below the state |
San Mateo County has lower values than California for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for San Mateo County: 1 in 32 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.1%, against 1.6% for California.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,319 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in San Mateo County. They injured 630 people and killed 36.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Highlands since 2015; patterns below come from San Mateo County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (10.8% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.0% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
US-101 leads within 10 miles of Highlands with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-1 (3), Broadway St (1) and California Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 40 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (18% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 7.5, vs 2.7 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Highlands fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-101 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 28.0% 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
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 Mateo County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 5 |
| SR-1 | 3 |
| Broadway St | 1 |
| California Dr | 1 |
| Canada Rd | 1 |
| Crestview Dr | 1 |
| El Camino Real | 1 |
| Floribunda Ave | 1 |
| I-280 | 1 |
| I-380 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (San Mateo County) |
|---|---|
| Us-101 N/B | 15 |
| Us-101 S/B | 9 |
| Rt92/.3M E Rt35 | 4 |
| Rt92/3.6M E Foster City Bl | 4 |
| Sr-92 E/B | 4 |
| Woodside Rd/Broadway | 3 |
| SR-1 | 3 |
| Rt92/100Ft W Pilarcitos Creek Rd | 3 |
Highlands at a glance
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 94402) | $172,522 |
| Median home value (ZIP 94402) | $2,000,001 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in San Mateo 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 | — | — | 2.8 |
| 2000s | 77 | — | 2.2 |
| 2010s | 115 | +49% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 102 | -11% | 2.2 |
In the 2000s about 77 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 102. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 3.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Highlands
How many truck accidents are there in Highlands?
1,319 truck crashes have been reported in San Mateo County since 2015, with 36 deaths and 630 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Highlands?
US-101 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Highlands since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Highlands?
Truck crashes in San Mateo County peak in June, with 10.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Highlands?
Garbage trucks were involved in 40 reported crashes in San Mateo County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Highlands compared with California?
San Mateo County records 15.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Highlands?
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.