Crested Butte, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Crested Butte: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Crested Butte and Gunnison County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Gunnison County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 134 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Gunnison County compares with Colorado
Gunnison County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Gunnison County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Gunnison County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 67.2 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 2.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 9.4 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.30 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 44% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 23.4% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.9% | 25.7% | 23.7% | 15% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.0% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.1% | 43.5% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 22.7% | 22.4% | 24.8% | same |
Gunnison County has lower values than Colorado for garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and winter months (nov–mar). It runs above Colorado on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Gunnison County: August 16.4% of truck crashes happen in August, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 134 crashes involving commercial trucks in Gunnison County since 2015: 38 people were injured and 13 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 31 days.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in Crested Butte since 2015; patterns below come from Gunnison County as a whole.
85% of truck crash reports in Gunnison County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (16.4% of the year) and are lowest in May (3.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.1% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for Colorado.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 9.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 23.4% of truck crashes, compared with 14.8% in Colorado.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Crested Butte happened on SR-135 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.5%, compared with 2.8% in Colorado.
Route planning tips for Crested Butte fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 23.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Colorado; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Gunnison County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-135 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Gunnison County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 50 At Mp 194 | 6 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 124 | 5 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 149 | 4 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 130 | 3 |
| Hwy 133 .90 Miles N Of Mp 24 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 119 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 120 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 125 | 2 |
Crested Butte at a glance
| Population | 1,643 |
| Land area | 0.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,895 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 81224) | $89,907 |
| Median home value (ZIP 81224) | $896,250 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Gunnison 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 | 11 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 17 | +45% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 12 | -25% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 11 | -12% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 11 to 11. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Crested Butte
How common are truck crashes in Crested Butte?
Since 2015, 134 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Gunnison County (38 injured, 13 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Crested Butte?
The worst month is August: 16.4% of truck crashes in Gunnison County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Crested Butte?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Gunnison County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
How does Crested Butte compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Gunnison County has 67.2 truck crashes a year; Colorado has 32.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Crested Butte?
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.