Thoreau, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Thoreau: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Thoreau and McKinley County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McKinley County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 1,097 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How McKinley County compares with New Mexico
McKinley County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McKinley County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McKinley County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 138.7 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 3.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.6 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.1% | 0.4% | 2.3% | 78% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.7% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 2.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.7% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.1% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 2.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 53.8% | 46.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 38.1% | 30.2% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
McKinley County has lower values than New Mexico for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above New Mexico on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
McKinley County at a glance: 30.7% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (New Mexico: 12.1%).
Overview
Since 2015, 1,097 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in McKinley County. They injured 495 people and killed 91.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 26 truck crashes were reported in Thoreau since 2015; patterns below come from McKinley County as a whole.
21% of truck crash reports in McKinley County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.9% of the year) and are lowest in August (4.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 53.8% of truck crashes, against 46.8% across New Mexico.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (7.4%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 30.7% of truck crashes, compared with 12.1% in New Mexico.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Thoreau is I-40, with 8 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.1% share (New Mexico: 0.4%).
Route planning tips for Thoreau fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 30.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above New Mexico), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 McKinley County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 8 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McKinley County) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 339 |
| US-491 | 12 |
| W Historic Hwy 66 | 10 |
| I40 Wb Off Ramp | 8 |
| E Interstate 40 | 8 |
| Interstate 40, Mm 11.5 | 6 |
| Interstate 40 Mm 8 | 6 |
| Interstate 40 Mm 11 | 5 |
Thoreau at a glance
| Land area | 39.5 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 87323) | $51,616 |
| Median home value (ZIP 87323) | $122,241 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McKinley 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 | 16 | — | 3.8 |
| 2000s | 26 | +65% | 5.7 |
| 2010s | 68 | +158% | 3.6 |
| 2020s | 104 | +54% | 6.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 16 a year in the 1990s and 104 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 3.5 a year in 2016–19 and 6.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Thoreau
How many truck accidents are there in Thoreau?
Since 2015, 1,097 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in McKinley County (495 injured, 91 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Thoreau?
I-40 had 8 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Thoreau since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Thoreau?
January has the most truck crashes in McKinley County, 12.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Thoreau?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in McKinley County since 2015 (0.1% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Thoreau compared with New Mexico?
McKinley County records 138.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 45.6 across New Mexico.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Thoreau?
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.