Mesa County, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mesa 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
13 of 390 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Mesa County compares with Colorado
Mesa County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mesa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mesa County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 19.7 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 40% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.1 | 5.1 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.31 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 13.1% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 11% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.3% | 25.7% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.0% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 43.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.9% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Mesa County sits below Colorado on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Colorado on garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
What stands out in Mesa County: I-70 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes in Mesa County since 2015.
Overview
Mesa County has recorded 390 truck crashes since 2015, with 122 people injured and 18 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 11 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (11.3% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.4% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for Colorado.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 8.2% of truck crashes.
13.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 14.8% across Colorado.
Where crashes happen
I-70 leads in Mesa County with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by US-50 (2), 23 Rd (1) and CR-30 Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 13 crashes, 3.3% of the total, against 2.8% across Colorado.
Route planning tips for Mesa County fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-70; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.3% of truck crashes here, more than Colorado; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Mesa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Mesa County) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 5 |
| US-50 | 2 |
| 23 Rd | 1 |
| CR-30 Rd | 1 |
| CR-S Broadway | 1 |
| River Rd | 1 |
| SR-141 | 1 |
| SR-65 | 1 |
| SR-70 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mesa County) |
|---|---|
| I 70 At Mp 44 | 5 |
| I-70 | 4 |
| I70 At Mp 50 | 4 |
| River Rd At Railroad Blvd | 3 |
| Rd At Patterson Rd | 3 |
| Rd At North Ave | 3 |
| Railroad Blvd At River Rd | 3 |
| I70 At Mp 32 | 3 |
Mesa County at a glance
| Population | 161,260 |
| Land area | 3,328.7 sq mi |
| Density | 48 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $76,960 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mesa 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 | 29 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 42 | +48% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 30 | -29% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 36 | +22% | 1.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 29 to 36. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Mesa County
ZIP codes in Mesa County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Mesa County
How common are truck crashes in Mesa County?
Since 2015, 390 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mesa County (122 injured, 18 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Mesa County?
Since 2015, I-70 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Mesa County: 5.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Mesa County?
Truck crashes in Mesa County peak in August, with 11.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Mesa County?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Mesa County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Mesa County compared with Colorado?
The yearly rate is 19.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Mesa County, vs 32.6 for Colorado.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Mesa County?
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.