Aptos, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Aptos: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Aptos and Santa Cruz County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Santa Cruz County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Santa Cruz County compares with California
Santa Cruz County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Santa Cruz County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Santa Cruz County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.0 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 49% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 2.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.2% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 78% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.9% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.3% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.3% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.1% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 41% below the state |
Santa Cruz County sits below California on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above California on garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
Santa Cruz County at a glance: 1 in 22 crashes involve a garbage truck (22 since 2015), vs 1.6% across California.
Overview
Police reported 513 crashes involving commercial trucks in Santa Cruz County since 2015: 175 people were injured and 16 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Aptos since 2015; patterns below come from Santa Cruz County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is September with 10.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 6.8%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.3% of truck crashes, vs 40.2% for California.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (California: 0.9%).
Where crashes happen
SR-1 leads within 10 miles of Aptos with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come CR-E Cliff Dr (1), CR-MOUNT Madonna Rd (1) and Encinal St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 22 of the truck crashes here, or 4.3%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in April (18% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.5, vs 3.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Aptos fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Santa Cruz County.
- Check whether your routes use SR-1, 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.
- 28.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above California; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Cruz County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-1 | 2 |
| CR-E Cliff Dr | 1 |
| CR-MOUNT Madonna Rd | 1 |
| Encinal St | 1 |
| Freedom Blvd | 1 |
| Harkins Slough Rd | 1 |
| River St | 1 |
| SR-129 | 1 |
| SR-152 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Santa Cruz County) |
|---|---|
| Sr-1 S/B | 8 |
| Sr-1 N/B | 4 |
| Sr-17 S/B | 3 |
| SR-129 | 3 |
| Rt129/1.3M W Old Chittenden Rd | 3 |
| Freedom Blvd | 3 |
| Alba Rd/.13Mi W Of Rt19 | 2 |
| Main St/Green Valley Rd | 2 |
Aptos at a glance
| Land area | 6.6 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Santa Cruz 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 | — | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 41 | — | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 43 | +4% | 1.3 |
| 2020s | 42 | -1% | 1.4 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 41 to 42. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Aptos
How common are truck crashes in Aptos?
Santa Cruz County has had 513 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 175 people and killing 16.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Aptos?
NHTSA data shows SR-1 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Aptos since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Aptos?
The worst month is September: 10.1% of truck crashes in Santa Cruz County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Aptos?
Since 2015, Santa Cruz County has reported 22 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.3% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Aptos compare with California?
The yearly rate is 17.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Santa Cruz County, vs 33.2 for California.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Aptos?
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.