Buena Vista, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Buena Vista: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Buena Vista and Chaffee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chaffee County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 135 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chaffee County compares with Colorado
Chaffee County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chaffee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chaffee County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 55.1 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 11.1 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 2.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.23 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 28% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 26.2% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.4% | 25.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.6% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.5% | 43.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.0% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Chaffee County sits below Colorado on injuries per crash. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Chaffee County: 11.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Colorado: 5.1).
Overview
Since 2015, 135 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Chaffee County. They injured 33 people and killed 14.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 32 days.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Buena Vista since 2015, this page uses Chaffee County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
82% of truck crash reports in Chaffee 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 11.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 4.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.5% of truck crashes, against 43.5% across Colorado.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 9.6% of truck crashes.
26.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 14.8% across Colorado.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Buena Vista since 2015 were spread across roads: US-24 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 3.7%, compared with 2.8% in Colorado.
Route planning tips for Buena Vista fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 26.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Colorado), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Chaffee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-24 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chaffee County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 50 At Mp 209 | 6 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 199 | 5 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 202 | 3 |
| Hwy 285 At Mp 137 | 3 |
| Cr 187 At Cr 307 | 2 |
| Hwy 24 2,112 Feet E Of Mp 217 | 2 |
| Hwy 24 At Mp 221 | 2 |
| Hwy 285 At Mp 119 | 2 |
Buena Vista at a glance
| Population | 3,127 |
| Land area | 3.5 sq mi |
| Density | 900 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 81211) | $88,083 |
| Median home value (ZIP 81211) | $674,762 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chaffee 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 | 6 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 8 | +36% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 10 | +35% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 12 | +12% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 12 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 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Buena Vista
How many truck crashes happen in Buena Vista?
Since 2015, 135 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Chaffee County (33 injured, 14 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Buena Vista?
Truck crashes in Chaffee County peak in July, with 11.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Buena Vista?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Chaffee County since 2015 (3.7% of truck crashes).
How does Buena Vista compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Chaffee County has 55.1 truck crashes a year; Colorado has 32.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Buena Vista?
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.