ZIP 94303 (Palo Alto, CA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 94303: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Santa Clara 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
9.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Santa Clara County compares with California
Santa Clara County against California and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Santa Clara County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Santa Clara County | California | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 13.5 | 33.2 | 49.7 | 59% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 8% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.1% | 0.9% | 6.2% | 85% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.2% | 23.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.5% | 6.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 40.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.2% | 29.1% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Santa Clara County has lower values than California for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above California on garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Santa Clara County: 0.1% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 0.9% in California.
Overview
Santa Clara County has recorded 2,945 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,158 people injured and 97 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (9.5% of the year) and are lowest in April (7.0%).
November through March accounts for 40.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.2% in California.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
0.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 0.9% across California.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 94303 is US-101, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come Boyce Rd (2), Fremont Bl (2) and I-280 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 69 crashes, 2.3% of the total, against 1.6% across California.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in April (16%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 9.0, vs 3.3 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 94303 fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-101; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: April is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Santa Clara County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.2% of truck crashes here, more than California; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Santa Clara County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-101 | 7 |
| Boyce Rd | 2 |
| Fremont Bl | 2 |
| I-280 | 2 |
| SR-84 | 2 |
| Black Mountain Rd | 1 |
| Broadway St | 1 |
| Canada Rd | 1 |
| Caribbean Dr | 1 |
| Cherry St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Santa Clara County) |
|---|---|
| Us-101 N/B | 22 |
| Us-101 S/B | 16 |
| SR-152 | 11 |
| US-101 | 6 |
| Sr-237 W/B | 5 |
| Rt101/Rt25 | 4 |
| Rt152/.6M E El Toro | 4 |
| Sr152 Eb/2M W Dinosaur Point Rd | 3 |
ZIP 94303 at a glance
| Population | 46,879 |
| Density | 2,145 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $151,609 |
| Median home value | $1,739,147 |
| Home ownership | 58% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Santa Clara 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 | 1 | — | 8.5 |
| 2000s | 165 | +16400% | 4.4 |
| 2010s | 254 | +54% | 6.6 |
| 2020s | 226 | -11% | 8.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1 to 226. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 8.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 8.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 94303
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 94303?
2,945 truck crashes have been reported in Santa Clara County since 2015, with 97 deaths and 1,158 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 94303?
US-101 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 94303 since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 94303?
The worst month is August: 9.5% of truck crashes in Santa Clara County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 94303?
69 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Santa Clara County since 2015, 2.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 94303 compare with California?
Santa Clara County records 13.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 33.2 across California.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 94303?
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.