Pasatiempo, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pasatiempo: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Pasatiempo 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 has lower values than California for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in 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.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Pasatiempo 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%.
November through March accounts for 39.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, 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
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Pasatiempo is SR-1, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-E Cliff Dr (1), Encinal St (1) and Larkspur 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 Pasatiempo 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.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in April; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.9% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 |
| Encinal St | 1 |
| Larkspur St | 1 |
| River St | 1 |
| SR-17 | 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 |
Pasatiempo at a glance
| Land area | 0.9 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 |
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 large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Pasatiempo
How many truck crashes happen in Pasatiempo?
513 truck crashes have been reported in Santa Cruz County since 2015, with 16 deaths and 175 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Pasatiempo?
Since 2015, SR-1 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Pasatiempo: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Pasatiempo?
Truck crashes in Santa Cruz County peak in September, with 10.1% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Pasatiempo?
Garbage trucks were involved in 22 reported crashes in Santa Cruz County since 2015 (4.3% of truck crashes).
How does Pasatiempo 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.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Pasatiempo?
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.