Capitola, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Capitola: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Capitola 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 |
Compared with California, Santa Cruz County is lower 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.
The headline for Santa Cruz County: 1 in 22 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.5%, against 1.6% for 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.
With 8 truck crashes reported in Capitola since 2015, this page uses Santa Cruz County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in September (10.1% of the year) and are lowest in November (6.8%).
November through March accounts for 39.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.2% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Capitola is SR-1, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by CR-E Cliff Dr (1), Encinal St (1) and River St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
22 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.3% share (California: 1.6%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (18%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 4.5 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Capitola fleets
- Build extra time into September routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.9% 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
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 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 |
| Encinal St | 1 |
| River St | 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 |
Capitola at a glance
| Population | 9,503 |
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Density | 5,962 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95010) | $105,236 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95010) | $835,660 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 41 a year in the 2000s and 42 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 Capitola
How many truck accidents are there in Capitola?
Santa Cruz County has had 513 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 175 people and killing 16.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Capitola?
Since 2015, SR-1 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Capitola: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Capitola?
The worst month is September: 10.1% of truck crashes in Santa Cruz County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Capitola?
Garbage trucks were involved in 22 reported crashes in Santa Cruz County since 2015 (4.3% of truck crashes).
How does Capitola compare with California for truck crashes?
Santa Cruz County records 17.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Capitola?
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.