Ruidoso, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ruidoso: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ruidoso and Lincoln County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lincoln County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 123 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lincoln County compares with New Mexico
Lincoln County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lincoln County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lincoln County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.9 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.4 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 22% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 25% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 0.4% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.3% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 73% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.5% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 4.1% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 65% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.8% | 46.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.4% | 30.2% | 24.8% | same |
Lincoln County has lower values than New Mexico for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Lincoln County: 1 in 120 crashes involve a garbage truck (1 since 2015), vs 0.4% across New Mexico.
Overview
Lincoln County has recorded 123 truck crashes since 2015, with 53 people injured and 9 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 33 days.
Ruidoso had 12 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lincoln County numbers.
26% of truck crash reports in Lincoln County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 13.0% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (4.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.8% of truck crashes, against 46.8% across New Mexico.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 3.3% of truck crashes, compared with 12.1% in New Mexico.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Ruidoso happened on SR-48 (1) and US-70 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.8% share (New Mexico: 0.4%).
Route planning tips for Ruidoso fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 26.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than New Mexico.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Lincoln County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-48 | 1 |
| US-70 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lincoln County) |
|---|---|
| US-54 | 19 |
| US-70 | 10 |
| SR-54 | 3 |
| US-380 | 3 |
| SR-70 | 2 |
| Sudderth Dr | 2 |
| Sudderth Drive & Weldon Ave | 2 |
| Us 54 Mm 133 | 2 |
Ruidoso at a glance
| Population | 7,640 |
| Land area | 16.1 sq mi |
| Density | 474 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 88345) | $53,971 |
| Median home value (ZIP 88345) | $263,447 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lincoln 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 | 4 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 8 | +75% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 10 | +25% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 10 | +9% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 10 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ruidoso
How many truck crashes happen in Ruidoso?
123 truck crashes have been reported in Lincoln County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 53 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ruidoso?
The worst month is May: 13.0% of truck crashes in Lincoln County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ruidoso?
Since 2015, Lincoln County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.8% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ruidoso compared with New Mexico?
Lincoln County records 54.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 45.6 across New Mexico.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ruidoso?
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.