Hobbs, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Hobbs: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Hobbs and Lea County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lea County numbers.
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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
Lea County at a glance: +413% yearly reported truck crashes went from 21 in the 2000s to 106 in the 2010s.
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.
Only 144 truck crashes were reported in Hobbs since 2015; patterns below come from Lea County as a whole.
36% of truck crash reports in Lea County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 11.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 6.1%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.0% of truck crashes, vs 46.8% for New Mexico.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 9.4% of truck crashes.
0.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 12.1% across New Mexico.
Where crashes happen
US-62 leads within 10 miles of Hobbs with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-18 (2), Mu-E Stanolind Rd (1) and South Bypass (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.4% share (New Mexico: 0.4%).
Route planning tips for Hobbs fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use US-62, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Morning starts matter: 28.5% 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-62 | 3 |
| SR-18 | 2 |
| Mu-E Stanolind Rd | 1 |
| South Bypass | 1 |
| West County Rd | 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 |
Hobbs at a glance
| Population | 41,061 |
| Land area | 26.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,554 per sq mi |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 12 to 95. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 7.8 a year in 2016–19, 6.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Hobbs
How many truck crashes happen in Hobbs?
1,199 truck crashes have been reported in Lea County since 2015, with 97 deaths and 607 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Hobbs?
Since 2015, US-62 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Hobbs: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Hobbs?
The worst month is October: 11.2% of truck crashes in Lea County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Hobbs?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Lea County since 2015 (0.4% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Hobbs compared with New Mexico?
The yearly rate is 136.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lea County, vs 45.6 for New Mexico.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Hobbs?
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.