Artesia, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Artesia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Artesia and Eddy County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Eddy County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 1,002 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Eddy County compares with New Mexico
Eddy County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Eddy County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Eddy County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 139.8 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 3.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.7 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 29% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2.3% | 29% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.7% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 94% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.3% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 55% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.9% | 46.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.5% | 30.2% | 24.8% | same |
Eddy County sits below New Mexico on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
Eddy County at a glance: 0.7% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 12.1% across New Mexico.
Overview
Eddy County has recorded 1,002 truck crashes since 2015, with 444 people injured and 65 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 40 truck crashes were reported in Artesia since 2015; patterns below come from Eddy County as a whole.
36% of truck crash reports in Eddy County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.3% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (7.0%).
November through March accounts for 43.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.8% in New Mexico.
More truck crashes happen at 6–7 am than at any other hour (7.4%).
Road surface: 0.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Mexico: 12.1%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-285 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). Next come US-82 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 0.3% of the total, against 0.4% across New Mexico.
Route planning tips for Artesia fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-285; 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.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Eddy County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-285 | 5 |
| US-82 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Eddy County) |
|---|---|
| US-285 | 58 |
| US-82 | 20 |
| Us 62/180 | 16 |
| Jal Hwy | 14 |
| Pecos Hwy | 11 |
| US-62 | 11 |
| Us 285 South | 11 |
| State Road 31 | 8 |
Artesia at a glance
| Population | 12,550 |
| Land area | 11.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,103 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Eddy 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 | 5 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 16 | +235% | 1.9 |
| 2010s | 66 | +309% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 85 | +28% | 4.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 85 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 4.5 a year in 2016–19 and 4.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Artesia
How common are truck crashes in Artesia?
1,002 truck crashes have been reported in Eddy County since 2015, with 65 deaths and 444 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Artesia?
US-285 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Artesia since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Artesia?
July has the most truck crashes in Eddy County, 10.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Artesia?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Eddy County since 2015 (0.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Artesia compared with New Mexico?
The yearly rate is 139.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Eddy County, vs 45.6 for New Mexico.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Artesia?
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.