Aurora, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Aurora: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Aurora and Arapahoe County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Arapahoe County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Arapahoe County compares with Colorado
Arapahoe County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Arapahoe County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Arapahoe County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.3 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 47% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 37% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.7% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.5% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 29% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.2% | 25.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.8% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 26% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.6% | 43.5% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 23.3% | 22.4% | 24.8% | same |
Arapahoe County has lower values than Colorado for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
Arapahoe County at a glance: 1 in 21 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.7%, against 2.8% for Colorado.
Overview
Arapahoe County has recorded 1,358 truck crashes since 2015, with 403 people injured and 42 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
Only 474 truck crashes were reported in Aurora since 2015; patterns below come from Arapahoe County as a whole.
29% of truck crash reports in Arapahoe County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 9.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 38.6% of truck crashes, against 43.5% across Colorado.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.5% of truck crashes, compared with 14.8% in Colorado.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-70 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (15). After it: SR-470 (5), I-225 (4) and I-76 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 63 crashes, 4.6% of the total, against 2.8% across Colorado.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (13% of them).
They recorded 5.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Aurora fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-70, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at February schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Arapahoe County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 15 |
| SR-470 | 5 |
| I-225 | 4 |
| I-76 | 4 |
| I-25 | 3 |
| SR-30 | 3 |
| SR-35 | 3 |
| E 56th Ave | 2 |
| E Mississippi Ave | 2 |
| I-270 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Arapahoe County) |
|---|---|
| I-25 | 39 |
| I 25 At Mp 198 | 10 |
| I 25 At Mp 196 | 10 |
| I 225 At E Mississippi Ave | 10 |
| E Arapahoe Rd | 10 |
| I70 .90 Miles E Of Mp 312 | 9 |
| E Belleview Ave | 7 |
| E470 At Mp 7 | 6 |
Aurora at a glance
| Population | 403,130 |
| Land area | 164.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2,457 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 80018) | $136,895 |
| Median home value (ZIP 80018) | $588,135 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Arapahoe 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 | 67 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 113 | +69% | 2.8 |
| 2010s | 105 | -7% | 2.6 |
| 2020s | 119 | +13% | 3.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 67 to 119. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.0 a year in 2016–19 and 3.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Aurora
How many truck accidents are there in Aurora?
Since 2015, 1,358 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Arapahoe County (403 injured, 42 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Aurora?
Since 2015, I-70 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Aurora: 15.
When do most truck crashes happen in Aurora?
The worst month is July: 9.7% of truck crashes in Arapahoe County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Aurora?
63 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Arapahoe County since 2015, 4.6% of all truck crashes.
How does Aurora compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
Arapahoe County records 17.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Aurora?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.