East Palo Alto, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in East Palo Alto: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in East Palo Alto 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 sits below California on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Santa Clara County: 0.1% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Overview
Since 2015, 2,945 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Santa Clara County. They injured 1,158 people and killed 97.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 0 truck crashes reported in East Palo Alto since 2015, this page uses Santa Clara County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 9.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.3% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.8%).
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 (7). Next come Boyce Rd (2), Fremont Bl (2) and SR-84 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
69 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.3% share (California: 1.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (16% of them).
They recorded 9.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for East Palo Alto fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Santa Clara County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-101; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Santa Clara County.
- Morning starts matter: 26.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than California.
- 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 | 7 |
| Boyce Rd | 2 |
| Fremont Bl | 2 |
| SR-84 | 2 |
| Black Mountain Rd | 1 |
| Broadway St | 1 |
| Canada Rd | 1 |
| Caribbean Dr | 1 |
| Cherry St | 1 |
| Crestview Dr | 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 |
East Palo Alto at a glance
| Population | 29,296 |
| Land area | 2.5 sq mi |
| Density | 11,589 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 94303) | $151,609 |
| Median home value (ZIP 94303) | $1,739,147 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1 to 226. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 8.0 a year in 2016–19, 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about East Palo Alto
How many truck crashes happen in East Palo Alto?
2,945 truck crashes have been reported in Santa Clara County since 2015, with 97 deaths and 1,158 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in East Palo Alto?
Since 2015, US-101 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of East Palo Alto: 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in East Palo Alto?
The worst month is August: 9.5% of truck crashes in Santa Clara County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in East Palo Alto?
Garbage trucks were involved in 69 reported crashes in Santa Clara County since 2015 (2.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in East Palo Alto compared with California?
Per 100,000 residents, Santa Clara County has 13.5 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in East Palo Alto?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.