Goleta, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Goleta: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Goleta and Santa Barbara County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Santa Barbara County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Santa Barbara County compares with California
Santa Barbara County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Santa Barbara County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Santa Barbara County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.6 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 29% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 14% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.5% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.5% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.5% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 15% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.4% | 40.2% | 41.9% | 7% below the state |
| After dark | 23.8% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 18% below the state |
Compared with California, Santa Barbara County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Goleta: US-101 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Goleta since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,199 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Santa Barbara County. They injured 461 people and killed 47.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Only 72 truck crashes were reported in Goleta since 2015; patterns below come from Santa Barbara County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 10.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is January at 7.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.4% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
0.5% 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 (5). Next come State St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
29 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (California: 1.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (17% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Goleta fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Santa Barbara County.
- Check whether your routes use US-101, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 27.5% 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 Santa Barbara County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 5 |
| State St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Santa Barbara County) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 18 |
| Us-101 N/B | 8 |
| Rt166/.37M E Alisos Canyon Rd | 5 |
| Sr1/.2M S California Bl | 3 |
| Rt154/Rt246 | 3 |
| Rt101/.2M N El Capitan State Beach Rd | 3 |
| Rt101 Nb O/R/70Ft S Nicholson Av | 3 |
| Rt1/2865Ft S Rt246 | 3 |
Goleta at a glance
| Population | 32,611 |
| Land area | 7.9 sq mi |
| Density | 4,153 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Santa Barbara 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 | — | — | 1.8 |
| 2000s | 70 | — | 3.7 |
| 2010s | 95 | +36% | 3.3 |
| 2020s | 106 | +12% | 2.6 |
In the 2000s about 70 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 106. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Goleta
How many truck accidents are there in Goleta?
Santa Barbara County has had 1,199 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 461 people and killing 47.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Goleta?
US-101 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Goleta since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Goleta?
Truck crashes in Santa Barbara County peak in October, with 10.4% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Goleta?
Since 2015, Santa Barbara County has reported 29 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Goleta compare with California for truck crashes?
Santa Barbara County records 23.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Goleta?
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.