Lea County, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lea 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 1,199 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lea County compares with New Mexico
Lea County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lea County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lea County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 136.3 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 3.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.0 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 16% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 13% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 0.4% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.7% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 94% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.5% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 4.0% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 66% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 46.8% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 33.3% | 30.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Lea County has lower values than New Mexico for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above New Mexico on crashes per 100k residents / yr, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
What stands out in Lea County: +413% reported truck crashes a year in the 2010s vs the 2000s (106 vs 21).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,199 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lea County. They injured 607 people and killed 97.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (11.2% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.0% of truck crashes, against 46.8% across New Mexico.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (9.4%).
Road surface: 0.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Mexico: 12.1%).
Where crashes happen
SR-128 leads in Lea County with 24 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-18 (11), US-62 (11) and SR-176 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.4% share (New Mexico: 0.4%).
Route planning tips for Lea County fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lea County.
- Check whether your routes use SR-128, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 28.5% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above New Mexico; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Lea County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Lea County) |
|---|---|
| SR-128 | 24 |
| SR-18 | 11 |
| US-62 | 11 |
| SR-176 | 3 |
| US-380 | 3 |
| CR-ORLA Rd | 2 |
| CR-1 | 1 |
| CR-1 Orla Rd | 1 |
| CR-18 | 1 |
| CR-2 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lea County) |
|---|---|
| Us 62/180 | 36 |
| SR-128 | 34 |
| W Nm Highway 128 | 21 |
| State Road 128 | 19 |
| State Road 18 | 18 |
| Nmsr 128 | 16 |
| SR-18 | 15 |
| Battle Axe Rd | 13 |
Lea County at a glance
| Population | 75,151 |
| Land area | 4,391.6 sq mi |
| Density | 17 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $68,401 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lea 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 | 12 | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 17 | +47% | 2.4 |
| 2010s | 81 | +375% | 5.9 |
| 2020s | 95 | +16% | 6.8 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 95. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 7.8 a year in 2016–19 and 6.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Lea County
ZIP codes in Lea County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Lea County
How common are truck crashes in Lea County?
Lea County has had 1,199 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 607 people and killing 97.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lea County?
Since 2015, SR-128 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Lea County: 24.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Lea County?
Truck crashes in Lea County peak in October, with 11.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Lea County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Lea County since 2015 (0.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Lea County compare with New Mexico?
Lea County records 136.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 45.6 across New Mexico.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Lea County?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.