San Jose, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in San Jose: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How San Jose compares with California
San Jose against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where San Jose stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | San Jose | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 9.7 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 71% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.7% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 90% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.3% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.7% | 6.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.8% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.4% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 20% below the state |
San Jose sits below California on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It runs above California on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for San Jose: 1 in 36 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 2.7%, vs 1.6% in California.
Overview
Police reported 1,103 crashes involving commercial trucks in San Jose since 2015: 456 people were injured and 39 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (9.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.8% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
0.1% 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 (13). Next come SR-17 (6), Monterey Rd (4) and I-280 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
30 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.7% share (California: 1.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (17% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 10.3 deaths compared with 3.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for San Jose fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 April schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.3% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in San Jose
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 13 |
| SR-17 | 6 |
| Monterey Rd | 4 |
| I-280 | 3 |
| Camden Ave | 2 |
| I-680 | 2 |
| CR-HICKS Rd | 1 |
| CR-QUIMBY Road | 1 |
| Caribbean Dr | 1 |
| Central Expy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (San Jose) |
|---|---|
| Us-101 N/B | 9 |
| Us-101 S/B | 6 |
| Sr-87 N/B | 3 |
| Berryessa Rd/Lundy Av | 2 |
| 7Th St/7Ft N Phelan Av | 2 |
| Raleigh Rd/Charlotte Dr | 2 |
| N Almaden Av/W Santa Clara St | 2 |
| Monterey Rd/Live Oak Av | 2 |
San Jose at a glance
| Population | 997,368 |
| Land area | 177.9 sq mi |
| Density | 5,605 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95121) | $150,605 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95121) | $1,045,068 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in San Jose 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 | — | — | 8.5 |
| 2000s | 70 | — | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 100 | +43% | 6.6 |
| 2020s | 80 | -20% | 8.0 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 70 to 80. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 8.0 a year in 2016–19 and 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about San Jose
How many truck accidents are there in San Jose?
Since 2015, 1,103 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in San Jose (456 injured, 39 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in San Jose?
US-101 had 13 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of San Jose since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in San Jose?
July has the most truck crashes in San Jose, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in San Jose?
Since 2015, San Jose has reported 30 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in San Jose compare with California?
Per 100,000 residents, San Jose has 9.7 truck crashes a year; California has 33.2.
How can I plan a safer truck route in San Jose?
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.