Centennial, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Centennial: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Centennial 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. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Arapahoe County: 1 in 21 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.7%, against 2.8% for Colorado.
Overview
Police reported 1,358 crashes involving commercial trucks in Arapahoe County since 2015: 403 people were injured and 42 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
Centennial had 118 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Arapahoe County numbers.
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%.
November through March accounts for 38.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.5% in Colorado.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
10.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 14.8% across Colorado.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 15 miles of Centennial is I-70, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-25 (8), SR-83 (6) and I-225 (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 Centennial fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Arapahoe County.
- Look at alternatives to I-70 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Arapahoe County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
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 |
| I-25 | 8 |
| SR-83 | 6 |
| I-225 | 4 |
| SR-121 | 4 |
| SR-30 | 3 |
| SR-35 | 3 |
| US-85 | 3 |
| E 56th Ave | 2 |
| E Mississippi Ave | 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 |
Centennial at a glance
| Population | 108,853 |
| Land area | 30.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3,610 per sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 67 a year in the 1990s and 119 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 Centennial
How common are truck crashes in Centennial?
Arapahoe County has had 1,358 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 403 people and killing 42.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Centennial?
I-70 had 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 15 miles of Centennial since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Centennial?
The worst month is July: 9.7% of truck crashes in Arapahoe County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Centennial?
Garbage trucks were involved in 63 reported crashes in Arapahoe County since 2015 (4.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Centennial compared with Colorado?
The yearly rate is 17.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Arapahoe County, vs 32.6 for Colorado.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Centennial?
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.