Meridian, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Meridian: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Meridian 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 |
Compared with Colorado, Arapahoe County is lower on 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
Arapahoe County has recorded 1,358 truck crashes since 2015, with 403 people injured and 42 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
Meridian had 0 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
July has the most truck crashes, 9.7% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 38.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.5% in 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-25 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). After it: SR-83 (4), Butterfield Crossing Dr (1) and CR-GUN Club Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
63 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.6% share (Colorado: 2.8%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in February (13%).
They recorded 5.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Meridian fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-25, 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.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-25 | 5 |
| SR-83 | 4 |
| Butterfield Crossing Dr | 1 |
| CR-GUN Club Rd | 1 |
| E County Line Rd | 1 |
| E Hampden Ave | 1 |
| S Abilene St | 1 |
| S Holly St | 1 |
| SR-177 | 1 |
| US-85 | 1 |
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 |
Meridian at a glance
| Land area | 2.6 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 80112) | $108,874 |
| Median home value (ZIP 80112) | $659,820 |
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 Meridian
How many truck crashes happen in Meridian?
Arapahoe County has had 1,358 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 403 people and killing 42.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Meridian?
I-25 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Meridian since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Meridian?
The worst month is July: 9.7% of truck crashes in Arapahoe County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Meridian?
63 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Arapahoe County since 2015, 4.6% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Meridian compare with Colorado?
Per 100,000 residents, Arapahoe County has 17.3 truck crashes a year; Colorado has 32.6.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Meridian?
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.