ZIP 81521 (Fruita, CO) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 81521: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Mesa County, 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 has lower values than Colorado for 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.
What stands out in Mesa County: 28.9% after dark, against 22.4% across Colorado.
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.
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
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 81521 since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (Colorado: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 81521 fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mesa County.
- Morning starts matter: 28.3% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Colorado.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
ZIP 81521 at a glance
| Population | 16,613 |
| Density | 35 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $88,458 |
| Median home value | $421,958 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
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 |
In the 1990s about 29 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 36. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 81521
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 81521?
390 truck crashes have been reported in Mesa County since 2015, with 18 deaths and 122 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 81521?
Truck crashes in Mesa County peak in August, with 11.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 81521?
Since 2015, Mesa County has reported 13 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.3% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 81521 compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Mesa County has 19.7 truck crashes a year; Colorado has 32.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 81521?
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.