Cupertino, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cupertino: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cupertino and Santa Clara County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Santa Clara County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Santa Clara County compares with California
Santa Clara County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Santa Clara County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Santa Clara County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 13.5 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 59% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 85% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.2% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.5% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.2% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Santa Clara County has lower values than California for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Santa Clara County: 0.1% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 0.9% across California.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,945 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Santa Clara County. They injured 1,158 people and killed 97.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Cupertino had 58 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Santa Clara County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 9.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.0%.
November through March accounts for 40.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 7.8% 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, US-101 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (9). Next come SR-17 (5), I-280 (2) and Black Mountain Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 69 crashes, 2.3% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (16%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 9.0, vs 3.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Cupertino fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.2% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Santa Clara County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 9 |
| SR-17 | 5 |
| I-280 | 2 |
| Black Mountain Rd | 1 |
| Camden Ave | 1 |
| Caribbean Dr | 1 |
| Central Expy | 1 |
| Grant Rd | 1 |
| I-880 | 1 |
| Lawrence Expy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Santa Clara County) |
|---|---|
| Us-101 N/B | 22 |
| Us-101 S/B | 16 |
| SR-152 | 11 |
| US-101 | 6 |
| Sr-237 W/B | 5 |
| Rt101/Rt25 | 4 |
| Rt152/.6M E El Toro | 4 |
| Sr152 Eb/2M W Dinosaur Point Rd | 3 |
Cupertino at a glance
| Population | 58,710 |
| Land area | 11.3 sq mi |
| Density | 5,177 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Santa Clara 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 | — | 8.5 |
| 2000s | 165 | +16400% | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 254 | +54% | 6.6 |
| 2020s | 226 | -11% | 8.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 1990s and 226 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 8.0 a year in 2016–19, 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cupertino
How common are truck crashes in Cupertino?
2,945 truck crashes have been reported in Santa Clara County since 2015, with 97 deaths and 1,158 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Cupertino?
US-101 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cupertino since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Cupertino?
The worst month is August: 9.5% of truck crashes in Santa Clara County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Cupertino?
Since 2015, Santa Clara County has reported 69 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Cupertino compare with California for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Santa Clara County has 13.5 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cupertino?
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.