Grand Junction, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Grand Junction: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Grand Junction 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 |
Compared with Colorado, Mesa County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
Grand Junction at a glance: I-70 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Grand Junction since 2015.
Overview
Mesa County has recorded 390 truck crashes since 2015, with 122 people injured and 18 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
Grand Junction had 115 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
August has the most truck crashes, 11.3% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (6.7%).
November through March accounts for 41.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.5% in 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
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Grand Junction is I-70, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come 23 Rd (1), CR-30 Rd (1) and CR-S Broadway (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 Grand Junction 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.
- 28.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Colorado; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 3 |
| 23 Rd | 1 |
| CR-30 Rd | 1 |
| CR-S Broadway | 1 |
| River Rd | 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 |
Grand Junction at a glance
| Population | 70,554 |
| Land area | 40.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,731 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 81501) | $53,666 |
| Median home value (ZIP 81501) | $315,475 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 29 a year in the 1990s and 36 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Grand Junction
How common are truck crashes in Grand Junction?
390 truck crashes have been reported in Mesa County since 2015, with 18 deaths and 122 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Grand Junction?
NHTSA data shows I-70 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Grand Junction since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Grand Junction?
The worst month is August: 11.3% of truck crashes in Mesa County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Grand Junction?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Mesa County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Grand Junction compare with Colorado?
Mesa County records 19.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Grand Junction?
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.