Montrose, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Montrose: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Montrose and Montrose County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Montrose County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 85 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Montrose County compares with Colorado
Montrose County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Montrose County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Montrose County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 16.2 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 50% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.0 | 5.1 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.32 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 2.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.0% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 32% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 37.5% | 25.7% | 23.7% | 1.5× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.0% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.8% | 43.5% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 15.0% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 33% below the state |
Compared with Colorado, Montrose County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Montrose County: 1 in 16 crashes involve a garbage truck (5 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Colorado.
Overview
Police reported 85 crashes involving commercial trucks in Montrose County since 2015: 31 people were injured and 4 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 50 days.
Only 29 truck crashes were reported in Montrose since 2015; patterns below come from Montrose County as a whole.
54% of truck crash reports in Montrose 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, 15.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (3.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.8% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for Colorado.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (20.0%).
Road surface: 10.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Montrose since 2015 were spread across roads: US-550 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.9% share (Colorado: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Montrose fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 37.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Colorado.
- 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 Montrose County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-550 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Montrose County) |
|---|---|
| Carnation Rd At 6000 Rd | 2 |
| Hwy 141 At Mp 56 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 .60 Miles E Of Mp 82 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 106 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 80 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 85 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 123 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 125 | 2 |
Montrose at a glance
| Population | 21,646 |
| Land area | 18.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,146 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Montrose 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 | 7 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 10 | +32% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 7 | -29% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 9 | +28% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 7 to 9. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Montrose
How many truck accidents are there in Montrose?
Montrose County has had 85 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 31 people and killing 4.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Montrose?
January has the most truck crashes in Montrose County, 15.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Montrose?
Since 2015, Montrose County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Montrose compared with Colorado?
Per 100,000 residents, Montrose County has 16.2 truck crashes a year; Colorado has 32.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Montrose?
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.