South San Francisco, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South San Francisco: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South San Francisco 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 |
Compared with California, San Mateo County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above California on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
San Mateo County at a glance: 1 in 32 crashes involve a garbage truck (40 since 2015), vs 1.6% across California.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,319 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in San Mateo County. They injured 630 people and killed 36.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
Only 88 truck crashes were reported in South San Francisco 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%).
November through March accounts for 39.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.4%).
0.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of South San Francisco is US-101, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-80 (2), 16th St (1) and 28th St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
40 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (California: 1.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (18%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 7.5 deaths compared with 2.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for South San Francisco fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-101; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 28.0% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than California.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
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 | 7 |
| I-80 | 2 |
| 16th St | 1 |
| 28th St | 1 |
| 7th St | 1 |
| Brannan St | 1 |
| California Dr | 1 |
| Callan Bl | 1 |
| Cortland Av | 1 |
| Diamond St | 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 |
South San Francisco at a glance
| Population | 64,660 |
| Land area | 9.2 sq mi |
| Density | 7,025 per sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 77 a year in the 2000s and 102 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South San Francisco
How many truck crashes happen in South San Francisco?
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 South San Francisco?
NHTSA data shows US-101 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of South San Francisco since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in South San Francisco?
Truck crashes in San Mateo County peak in June, with 10.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in South San Francisco?
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 South San Francisco compared with California?
Per 100,000 residents, San Mateo County has 15.7 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in South San Francisco?
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.