Boulder County, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Boulder County: 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
4.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Boulder County compares with Colorado
Boulder County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Boulder County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Boulder County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 14.6 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 55% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.2% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 31% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.0% | 25.7% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.0% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 24% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.9% | 43.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 10.0% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 55% below the state |
Boulder County sits below Colorado on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Boulder County: −67% fatal truck crashes in Boulder County per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (1.4 vs 4.2).
Overview
Police reported 563 crashes involving commercial trucks in Boulder County since 2015: 212 people were injured and 24 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 8 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 10.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.9% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for Colorado.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 11.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 10.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
US-287 leads in Boulder County with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-36 (4), Hover St (2) and SR-119 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 24 crashes, 4.3% of the total, against 2.8% across Colorado.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (17%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 4.5, vs 4.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Boulder County fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-287 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at August schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 29.0% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Colorado.
- 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 Boulder County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Boulder County) |
|---|---|
| US-287 | 6 |
| US-36 | 4 |
| Hover St | 2 |
| SR-119 | 2 |
| SR-128 | 2 |
| SR-66 | 2 |
| Boston Ave | 1 |
| CR-NELSON Rd | 1 |
| CR-SUNSHINE Canyon Dr | 1 |
| Mountain View Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Boulder County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 287 At Mp 306 | 4 |
| Hwy 66 At Mp 37 | 4 |
| Ken Pratt Blvd At Bowen St | 3 |
| Hwy 66 At Mp 38 | 3 |
| Hwy 52 At Mp 6 | 3 |
| Hwy 36 At Mp 44 | 3 |
| Hwy 36 At Mp 42 | 3 |
| Hwy 36 At Mp 40 | 3 |
Boulder County at a glance
| Population | 330,262 |
| Land area | 726.4 sq mi |
| Density | 455 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $106,122 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Boulder 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 | 34 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 46 | +36% | 1.9 |
| 2010s | 50 | +8% | 2.6 |
| 2020s | 44 | -13% | 1.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 34 to 44. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Boulder County
ZIP codes in Boulder County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Boulder County
How common are truck crashes in Boulder County?
Boulder County has had 563 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 212 people and killing 24.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Boulder County?
Since 2015, US-287 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Boulder County: 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Boulder County?
The worst month is June: 10.8% of truck crashes in Boulder County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Boulder County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 24 reported crashes in Boulder County since 2015 (4.3% of truck crashes).
How does Boulder County compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Boulder County has 14.6 truck crashes a year; Colorado has 32.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Boulder County?
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.