Durango, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Durango: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Durango and La Plata County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use La Plata County numbers.
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 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 deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 21 days.
Only 32 truck crashes were reported in Durango since 2015; patterns below come from La Plata County as a whole.
71% of truck crash reports in La Plata County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 5.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.2% of truck crashes, against 43.5% across Colorado.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (13.3%).
10.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 14.8% across Colorado.
Where crashes happen
US-160 leads within 10 miles of Durango with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come US-550 (2), CR-302 (1) and SR-172 (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 Durango fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-160 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-160 | 5 |
| US-550 | 2 |
| CR-302 | 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 |
Durango at a glance
| Population | 19,811 |
| Land area | 17.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,121 per sq mi |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Durango
How common are truck crashes in Durango?
Since 2015, 195 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in La Plata County (73 injured, 15 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Durango?
US-160 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Durango since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Durango?
The worst month is November: 10.3% of truck crashes in La Plata County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Durango?
Since 2015, La Plata County has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.1% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Durango compare with Colorado?
La Plata County records 30.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Durango?
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.