Golden, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Golden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Golden 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. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Golden at a glance: 1.8× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Golden (1.8 → 3.2).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,011 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Jefferson County. They injured 322 people and killed 56.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
With 44 truck crashes reported in Golden since 2015, this page uses Jefferson County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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
Truck crashes peak in January (10.2% of the year) and are lowest in December (6.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.2% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for 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
I-70 leads within 10 miles of Golden with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-121 (3), SR-93 (2) and SR-95 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 36 crashes, 3.6% of the total, against 2.8% across Colorado.
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 Golden fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-70 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 6 |
| SR-121 | 3 |
| SR-93 | 2 |
| SR-95 | 2 |
| US-40 | 2 |
| CR-93 | 1 |
| CR-MCINTYRE St | 1 |
| SR-391 | 1 |
| SR-74 | 1 |
| SR-88 | 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 |
Golden at a glance
| Population | 20,151 |
| Land area | 9.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,090 per 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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 79 to 76. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 3.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Golden
How common are truck crashes in Golden?
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 Golden?
NHTSA data shows I-70 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Golden since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Golden?
January has the most truck crashes in Jefferson County, 10.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Golden?
Garbage trucks were involved in 36 reported crashes in Jefferson County since 2015 (3.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Golden compared with Colorado?
The yearly rate is 14.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jefferson County, vs 32.6 for Colorado.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Golden?
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.