La Plata County, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in La Plata County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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
8 of 195 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How La Plata County compares with Colorado
La Plata County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where La Plata County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | La Plata County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 30.2 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 7% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.9 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.1% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 32% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.5% | 25.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.6% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 20% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.2% | 43.5% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 21.7% | 22.4% | 24.8% | same |
La Plata County sits below Colorado on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Colorado on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in La Plata County: 1 in 24 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.2%, vs 2.8% in Colorado.
Overview
Police reported 195 crashes involving commercial trucks in La Plata County since 2015: 73 people were injured and 15 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 21 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 5.6%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.2% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for Colorado.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (13.3%).
Road surface: 10.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
US-160 leads in La Plata County with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-550 (4), CR-253 (2) and CR-302 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 8 crashes, 4.1% of the total, against 2.8% across Colorado.
Route planning tips for La Plata County fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use US-160, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 La Plata County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in La Plata County) |
|---|---|
| US-160 | 6 |
| US-550 | 4 |
| CR-253 | 2 |
| CR-302 | 1 |
| CR-310 | 1 |
| SR-172 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (La Plata County) |
|---|---|
| Cr 310 At Cr 309A | 2 |
| Hwy 160 4,752 Feet E Of Mp 91 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 110 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 71 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 91 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 92 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 27 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 47 | 2 |
La Plata County at a glance
| Population | 56,823 |
| Land area | 1,689.7 sq mi |
| Density | 34 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $84,065 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in La Plata 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 | 9 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 25 | +166% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 19 | -23% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 18 | -5% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 9 a year in the 1990s and 18 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in La Plata County
ZIP codes in La Plata County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about La Plata County
How many truck accidents are there in La Plata County?
La Plata County has had 195 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 73 people and killing 15.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in La Plata County?
NHTSA data shows US-160 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes in La Plata County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in La Plata County?
November has the most truck crashes in La Plata County, 10.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in La Plata County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 8 reported crashes in La Plata County since 2015 (4.1% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in La Plata County compared with Colorado?
The yearly rate is 30.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in La Plata County, vs 32.6 for Colorado.
How can I plan a safer truck route in La Plata County?
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.