Occidental, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Occidental: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Occidental and Sonoma County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Sonoma County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6.2 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Sonoma County compares with California
Sonoma County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sonoma County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sonoma County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 27.0 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 19% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.3% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 2.0× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 62% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.5% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.1% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.6% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 40% below the state |
Compared with California, Sonoma County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above California on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Sonoma County: 1 in 30 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.3%, against 1.6% for California.
Overview
Police reported 1,502 crashes involving commercial trucks in Sonoma County since 2015: 778 people were injured and 43 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Occidental since 2015; patterns below come from Sonoma County as a whole.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 10.5% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.4%).
November through March accounts for 38.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.4% of truck crashes, compared with 0.9% in California.
Where crashes happen
SR-12 leads within 10 miles of Occidental with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come CR-RIVER Rd (1), Canfield Rd (1) and Fulton Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 50 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in March (18% of them).
They recorded 6.2 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Occidental fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Sonoma County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-12 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in March; review collection routes for that month.
- Morning starts matter: 28.5% 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
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 Sonoma County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-12 | 2 |
| CR-RIVER Rd | 1 |
| Canfield Rd | 1 |
| Fulton Rd | 1 |
| Occidental Rd | 1 |
| River Rd | 1 |
| River Road | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sonoma County) |
|---|---|
| Us-101 S/B | 10 |
| US-101 | 8 |
| Lakeville Road | 5 |
| Us-101 N/B | 4 |
| SR-37 | 3 |
| SR-116 | 3 |
| Rt116/Green Valley Rd | 3 |
| Rt101/300Ft N Steele Ln | 3 |
Occidental at a glance
| Land area | 5.0 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sonoma 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 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 72 | +7070% | 3.0 |
| 2010s | 122 | +69% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 119 | -2% | 2.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1 to 119. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.5 a year in 2016–19, 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Occidental
How many truck accidents are there in Occidental?
1,502 truck crashes have been reported in Sonoma County since 2015, with 43 deaths and 778 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Occidental?
Since 2015, SR-12 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Occidental: 2.
When do most truck crashes happen in Occidental?
Truck crashes in Sonoma County peak in October, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Occidental?
Garbage trucks were involved in 50 reported crashes in Sonoma County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Occidental compare with California?
Sonoma County records 27.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Occidental?
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.