Blanca, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Blanca: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Blanca and Costilla County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Costilla County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 56 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Costilla County compares with Colorado
Costilla County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Costilla County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Costilla County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 135.6 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 4.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 16.4 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 3.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 35% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.9% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 2.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.2% | 25.7% | 23.7% | 29% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.6% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.9% | 43.5% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 41.8% | 22.4% | 24.8% | 1.9× the state |
Costilla County sits below Colorado on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Colorado on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Costilla County: 16.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Colorado: 5.1).
Overview
Police reported 56 crashes involving commercial trucks in Costilla County since 2015: 24 people were injured and 9 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 73 days.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Blanca since 2015; patterns below come from Costilla County as a whole.
89% of truck crash reports in Costilla County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 17.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 3.6%.
November through March accounts for 50.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 43.5% in Colorado.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 12.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 30.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Blanca is US-160, with 6 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.8% share (Colorado: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Blanca fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-160 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 30.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Colorado; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Costilla County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-160 | 6 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Costilla County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 160 At Mp 276 | 3 |
| Hwy 160 1,056 Feet E Of Mp 259 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 249 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 262 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 266 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 273 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 275 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 278 | 2 |
Blanca at a glance
| Population | 342 |
| Land area | 1.8 sq mi |
| Density | 187 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 81123) | $36,487 |
| Median home value (ZIP 81123) | $133,330 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Costilla 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 | 5 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 4 | -10% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 6 | +30% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 6 | -2% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 5 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 6. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Blanca
How common are truck crashes in Blanca?
Costilla County has had 56 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 24 people and killing 9.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Blanca?
NHTSA data shows US-160 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Blanca since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Blanca?
Truck crashes in Costilla County peak in December, with 17.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Blanca?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Costilla County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Blanca compared with Colorado?
Costilla County records 135.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Blanca?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.