Dakota Ridge, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dakota Ridge: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dakota Ridge and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 5.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Colorado
Jefferson County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 14.9 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 54% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.8 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.31 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.4% | 14.8% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 25.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.6% | 13.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 43.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.0% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Jefferson County sits below Colorado on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Dakota Ridge: SR-121 deadliest road: 4 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Dakota Ridge since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 1,011 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 322 people were injured and 56 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Dakota Ridge had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Jefferson County numbers.
47% of truck crash reports in Jefferson County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (6.4%).
November through March accounts for 42.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.5% in Colorado.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 9.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 14.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-121 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come I-70 (3), US-85 (3) and SR-88 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
36 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.6% share (Colorado: 2.8%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in July (17% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 5.8 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Dakota Ridge fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-121; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-121 | 4 |
| I-70 | 3 |
| US-85 | 3 |
| SR-88 | 2 |
| US-40 | 2 |
| W Jewell Ave | 2 |
| CR-93 | 1 |
| I-25 | 1 |
| S Broadway St | 1 |
| S Kipling Pkwy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I 70 At Mp 259 | 11 |
| C470 At Mp 1 | 7 |
| Hwy 285 At Mp 240 | 7 |
| I 70 At Mp 262 | 7 |
| I70 At Mp 262 | 6 |
| I 70 At Ward Rd | 6 |
| I 70 At Mp 257 | 6 |
| I 70 At Mp 253 | 6 |
Dakota Ridge at a glance
| Land area | 9.4 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | 79 | — | 2.7 |
| 2000s | 114 | +44% | 2.3 |
| 2010s | 98 | -14% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 76 | -22% | 3.6 |
In the 1990s about 79 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 76. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.5 a year in 2016–19 and 3.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dakota Ridge
How common are truck crashes in Dakota Ridge?
Since 2015, 1,011 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Jefferson County (322 injured, 56 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Dakota Ridge?
SR-121 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Dakota Ridge since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Dakota Ridge?
January has the most truck crashes in Jefferson County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Dakota Ridge?
36 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jefferson County since 2015, 3.6% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Dakota Ridge compared with Colorado?
Jefferson County records 14.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Dakota Ridge?
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.