Chaves County, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chaves 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
0 of 231 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chaves County compares with New Mexico
Chaves County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chaves County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chaves County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 31.3 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 10.0 | 9.5 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.67 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 0.4% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.4% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 89% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 22.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.8% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 34% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 46.8% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 28.3% | 30.2% | 24.8% | same |
Chaves County has lower values than New Mexico for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: injuries per crash.
The headline for Chaves County: 0 crashes involve a garbage truck (0 since 2015), vs 0.4% across New Mexico.
Overview
Chaves County has recorded 231 truck crashes since 2015, with 152 people injured and 22 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 18 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 12.1% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (3.9%).
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.8% in New Mexico.
More truck crashes happen at 4–5 pm than at any other hour (8.2%).
Road surface: 1.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Mexico: 12.1%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Chaves County is US-285, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-380 (3), US-70 (2) and CR-RUSSELL Gap Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Chaves County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Chaves County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-285 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal 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 Chaves County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Chaves County) |
|---|---|
| US-285 | 15 |
| US-380 | 3 |
| US-70 | 2 |
| CR-RUSSELL Gap Rd | 1 |
| Lincoln Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chaves County) |
|---|---|
| US-285 | 35 |
| US-70 | 12 |
| US-380 | 6 |
| Unnamed Street | 5 |
| E 2Nd St | 4 |
| Roswell Relief Route | 4 |
| S Main St | 4 |
| N Main St | 3 |
Chaves County at a glance
| Population | 63,697 |
| Land area | 6,067.2 sq mi |
| Density | 10 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $52,399 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chaves 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 | 7 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 10 | +50% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 20 | +89% | 1.3 |
| 2020s | 18 | -10% | 2.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 7 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 crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 2.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Chaves County
ZIP codes in Chaves County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Chaves County
How common are truck crashes in Chaves County?
Chaves County has had 231 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 152 people and killing 22.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Chaves County?
US-285 had 15 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Chaves County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Chaves County?
The worst month is January: 12.1% of truck crashes in Chaves County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Chaves County?
Since 2015, Chaves County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Chaves County compare with New Mexico?
Per 100,000 residents, Chaves County has 31.3 truck crashes a year; New Mexico has 45.6.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Chaves 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.