Santa Paula, CA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Santa Paula: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Santa Paula and Ventura County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ventura County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Ventura County compares with California
Ventura County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ventura County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ventura County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 22.9 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 11% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 85% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 4.0% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 38% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.9% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.6% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 22% below the state |
Compared with California, Ventura County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above California on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Ventura County: 1 in 32 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 3.1%, vs 1.6% in California.
Overview
Since 2015, 2,205 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ventura County. They injured 980 people and killed 68.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
With 35 truck crashes reported in Santa Paula since 2015, this page uses Ventura County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 39.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
0.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Santa Paula is SR-118, with 10 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come SR-126 (7), CR-BROADWAY Road (1) and Fairway Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
70 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.2% share (California: 1.6%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (17% of them).
They recorded 1.5 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Santa Paula fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-118 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Morning starts matter: 25.3% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than California.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Ventura County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-118 | 10 |
| SR-126 | 7 |
| CR-BROADWAY Road | 1 |
| Fairway Dr | 1 |
| Grimes Canyon Rd | 1 |
| Ponderosa Dr | 1 |
| SR-150 | 1 |
| SR-34 | 1 |
| Telegraph Rd | 1 |
| US-101 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ventura County) |
|---|---|
| Us-101 N/B (Ventura Freeway) | 8 |
| Us-101 N/B Ventura Freeway | 5 |
| Us-101 N/B | 5 |
| SR-118 | 5 |
| Los Angeles Av | 5 |
| Rt101/1M N Wendy Dr | 5 |
| Rt101/.1M S Lynn Rd | 4 |
| Rt34/Wood Rd | 4 |
Santa Paula at a glance
| Population | 31,786 |
| Land area | 5.5 sq mi |
| Density | 5,748 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ventura 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 | — | 5.0 |
| 2000s | 142 | +14090% | 5.6 |
| 2010s | 181 | +27% | 5.1 |
| 2020s | 197 | +9% | 3.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 1990s and 197 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 5.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Santa Paula
How many truck accidents are there in Santa Paula?
2,205 truck crashes have been reported in Ventura County since 2015, with 68 deaths and 980 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Santa Paula?
NHTSA data shows SR-118 with 10 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Santa Paula since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Santa Paula?
August has the most truck crashes in Ventura County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Santa Paula?
Garbage trucks were involved in 70 reported crashes in Ventura County since 2015 (3.2% of truck crashes).
How does Santa Paula compare with California for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 22.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Ventura County, vs 33.2 for California.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Santa Paula?
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.