Rocky Ford, CO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rocky Ford: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Rocky Ford and Otero County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Otero County numbers.
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. It runs above Colorado on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for Otero County: August worst month: 15.6% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 90 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Otero County. They injured 27 people and killed 3.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 47 days.
With 3 truck crashes reported in Rocky Ford since 2015, this page uses Otero County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
82% of truck crash reports in Otero County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
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.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 10.0% of truck crashes.
9.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 14.8% across Colorado.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Rocky Ford since 2015: US-50 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.8% across Colorado.
Route planning tips for Rocky Ford fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Otero County.
- 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 Otero County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-50 | 2 |
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 |
Rocky Ford at a glance
| Population | 3,781 |
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Density | 2,252 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 81067) | $50,028 |
| Median home value (ZIP 81067) | $156,416 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Rocky Ford
How many truck crashes happen in Rocky Ford?
Otero County has had 90 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 27 people and killing 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Rocky Ford?
Truck crashes in Otero County peak in August, with 15.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Rocky Ford?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Otero County since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How does Rocky Ford compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
Otero County records 43.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Rocky Ford?
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.