Clifton, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Clifton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Clifton and Mesa County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Mesa County numbers.
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 Clifton: I-70 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Clifton since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 390 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Mesa County. They injured 122 people and killed 18.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 11 days.
Clifton had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Mesa County numbers.
58% of truck crash reports in Mesa County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 11.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.4% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for Colorado.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (8.2%).
13.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 14.8% across Colorado.
Where crashes happen
I-70 leads within 10 miles of Clifton with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: 23 Rd (1), CR-30 Rd (1) and CR-S Broadway (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (Colorado: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Clifton fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mesa County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-70; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 28.3% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Colorado.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Mesa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 3 |
| 23 Rd | 1 |
| CR-30 Rd | 1 |
| CR-S Broadway | 1 |
| River Rd | 1 |
| SR-141 | 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 |
Clifton at a glance
| Land area | 6.0 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 81520) | $50,283 |
| Median home value (ZIP 81520) | $235,325 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Clifton
How many truck crashes happen in Clifton?
Since 2015, 390 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mesa County (122 injured, 18 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Clifton?
NHTSA data shows I-70 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Clifton since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Clifton?
The worst month is August: 11.3% of truck crashes in Mesa County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Clifton?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Mesa County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Clifton compared with Colorado?
The yearly rate is 19.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Mesa County, vs 32.6 for Colorado.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Clifton?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.