Modesto, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Modesto: 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 of 438 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Modesto compares with California
Modesto against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Modesto stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Modesto | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.4 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 48% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.55 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 100% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 23.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.2% | 6.5% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.0% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.9% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Modesto sits below California on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Modesto: 2.2× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 15 miles of Modesto (5.2 → 11.6).
Overview
Since 2015, 438 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Modesto. They injured 243 people and killed 19.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 10 days.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 10.0% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.0% of truck crashes, against 40.2% across California.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
0.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-99 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (20). It is followed by SR-132 (11), SR-120 (7) and SR-33 (6).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 10 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 1.6% in California.
Route planning tips for Modesto fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-99; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Modesto
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-99 | 20 |
| SR-132 | 11 |
| SR-120 | 7 |
| SR-33 | 6 |
| Crows Landing Rd | 2 |
| Finch Rd | 2 |
| Hatch Rd | 2 |
| Lander Ave | 2 |
| Lone Tree Rd | 2 |
| SR-108 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Modesto) |
|---|---|
| G St/6Th St | 4 |
| Maze Bl/Carpenter Rd | 4 |
| 9Th St/B St | 3 |
| Sr-99 N/B | 3 |
| SR-99 | 3 |
| 6Th St/I St | 2 |
| 6Th St/K St | 2 |
| 6Th St/H St | 2 |
Modesto at a glance
| Population | 220,592 |
| Land area | 43.4 sq mi |
| Density | 5,088 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 95351) | $58,275 |
| Median home value (ZIP 95351) | $334,662 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Modesto 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 | — | — | 7.3 |
| 2000s | 17 | — | 9.2 |
| 2010s | 31 | +78% | 5.9 |
| 2020s | 45 | +46% | 12.0 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 17 to 45. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 6.5 a year in 2016–19 and 12.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Modesto
How many truck accidents are there in Modesto?
Since 2015, 438 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Modesto (243 injured, 19 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Modesto?
NHTSA data shows SR-99 with 20 fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Modesto since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Modesto?
The worst month is September: 10.0% of truck crashes in Modesto happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Modesto?
10 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Modesto since 2015, 2.3% of all truck crashes.
How does Modesto compare with California for truck crashes?
Modesto records 17.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Modesto?
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.