Otero County, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Otero 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
2 of 90 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Otero County compares with Colorado
Otero County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Otero County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Otero County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 43.0 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.5 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 31% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.28 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 15% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.4% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 36% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 25.7% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.9% | 13.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.2% | 43.5% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.5% | 22.4% | 24.8% | same |
Otero County has lower values than Colorado for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Otero County: August the month with the most truck crashes: 15.6% of the year's total.
Overview
Police reported 90 crashes involving commercial trucks in Otero County since 2015: 27 people were injured and 3 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 47 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (15.6% of the year) and are lowest in June (4.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.2% of truck crashes, vs 43.5% for Colorado.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (10.0%).
Road surface: 9.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Otero County happened on US-50 (2) and US-350 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 2.2%, compared with 2.8% in Colorado.
Route planning tips for Otero County fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Otero County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Otero County) |
|---|---|
| US-50 | 2 |
| US-350 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Otero County) |
|---|---|
| Hwy 50 At Hwy 71 | 4 |
| Hwy 71 At Hwy 50 | 3 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 364 | 3 |
| Hwy 10 At Mp 52 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Hwy 72 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 366 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 370 | 2 |
| Hwy 50 At Mp 381 | 2 |
Otero County at a glance
| Population | 17,991 |
| Land area | 1,261.9 sq mi |
| Density | 14 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $53,999 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Otero 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 | 8 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 8 | +1% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 8 | -1% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 8 | -7% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 8. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Otero County
ZIP codes in Otero County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Otero County
How many truck accidents are there in Otero County?
Since 2015, 90 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Otero County (27 injured, 3 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Otero County?
August has the most truck crashes in Otero County, 15.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Otero County?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Otero County since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How does Otero County compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Otero County has 43.0 truck crashes a year; Colorado has 32.6.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Otero County?
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.