Palo Alto, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Palo Alto: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in 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 |
Compared with California, Santa Clara County is lower 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.
What stands out in Santa Clara County: 0.1% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 0.9% in California.
Overview
Police reported 2,945 crashes involving commercial trucks in Santa Clara County since 2015: 1,158 people were injured and 97 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Palo Alto had 89 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
August has the most truck crashes, 9.5% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.3% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for 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
US-101 leads within 10 miles of Palo Alto with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-280 (2), SR-84 (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.
Their busiest month is April, with 16% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 9.0 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Palo Alto fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 26.2% 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 Santa Clara County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 7 |
| I-280 | 2 |
| SR-84 | 2 |
| Black Mountain Rd | 1 |
| Broadway St | 1 |
| Canada Rd | 1 |
| Caribbean Dr | 1 |
| Crestview Dr | 1 |
| Grant Rd | 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 |
Palo Alto at a glance
| Population | 67,658 |
| Land area | 24.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2,813 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 94304) | $154,141 |
| Median home value (ZIP 94304) | $1,888,441 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 1 truck crash a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 226. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 8.0 a year in 2016–19, 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Palo Alto
How many truck crashes happen in Palo Alto?
Since 2015, 2,945 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Santa Clara County (1,158 injured, 97 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Palo Alto?
US-101 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Palo Alto since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Palo Alto?
August has the most truck crashes in Santa Clara County, 9.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Palo Alto?
Garbage trucks were involved in 69 reported crashes in Santa Clara County since 2015 (2.3% of truck crashes).
How does Palo Alto compare with California for truck crashes?
Santa Clara County records 13.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Palo Alto?
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.