Bernalillo County, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bernalillo 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
5 of 1,291 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Bernalillo County compares with New Mexico
Bernalillo County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bernalillo County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | Bernalillo County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 17.1 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 62% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.4 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 22% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 27% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 0.4% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.3% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 73% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.9% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 41% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.7% | 46.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.2% | 30.2% | 24.8% | 23% below the state |
Bernalillo County has lower values than New Mexico for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Bernalillo County: 1.9× fatal truck crashes in Bernalillo County per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (11.4 vs 6.0).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,291 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Bernalillo County. They injured 523 people and killed 92.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is September with 9.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 7.1%.
November through March accounts for 44.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.8% in New Mexico.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 3.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Mexico: 12.1%).
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads in Bernalillo County with 43 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-25 (6), SR-45 (3) and Central Ave (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 0.4%, compared with 0.4% in New Mexico.
Route planning tips for Bernalillo County fleets
- Review driver schedules for September, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-40; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 25.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than New Mexico.
- 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.
Crash reporting for 2025 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Bernalillo County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Bernalillo County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 43 |
| I-25 | 6 |
| SR-45 | 3 |
| Central Ave | 2 |
| Mu-Central Ave | 2 |
| SR-500 | 2 |
| SR-556 | 2 |
| 2nd St Nw | 1 |
| 4th Street | 1 |
| 98th St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bernalillo County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 106 |
| I 40 West Bd Fw | 71 |
| I 40 East Bd Fw | 64 |
| I-25 | 23 |
| Coors Blvd Nw | 23 |
| I 25 South Bd Fw | 18 |
| I 25 North Bd Fw | 15 |
| I 40 West-Bd Fw | 15 |
Bernalillo County at a glance
| Population | 671,747 |
| Land area | 1,161.2 sq mi |
| Density | 578 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $72,204 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bernalillo 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 | 13 | — | 5.7 |
| 2000s | 54 | +312% | 5.0 |
| 2010s | 117 | +118% | 5.2 |
| 2020s | 87 | -25% | 11.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 13 a year in the 1990s and 87 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 6.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 11.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Bernalillo County
ZIP codes in Bernalillo County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Bernalillo County
How common are truck crashes in Bernalillo County?
Since 2015, 1,291 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Bernalillo County (523 injured, 92 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Bernalillo County?
I-40 had 43 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Bernalillo County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Bernalillo County?
Truck crashes in Bernalillo County peak in September, with 9.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Bernalillo County?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Bernalillo County since 2015, 0.4% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Bernalillo County compared with New Mexico?
The yearly rate is 17.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Bernalillo County, vs 45.6 for New Mexico.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Bernalillo 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.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.