Portales, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Portales: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Portales and Roosevelt County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Roosevelt County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 109 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Roosevelt County compares with New Mexico
Roosevelt County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Roosevelt County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Roosevelt County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 49.1 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 16.8 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.60 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 0.4% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.0% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 22.8% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.9% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.6% | 46.8% | 41.9% | 22% below the state |
| After dark | 28.7% | 30.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with New Mexico, Roosevelt County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar). It runs above New Mexico on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Roosevelt County: 0 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.0%, vs 0.4% in New Mexico.
Overview
Roosevelt County has recorded 109 truck crashes since 2015, with 64 people injured and 18 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 40 days.
Only 35 truck crashes were reported in Portales since 2015; patterns below come from Roosevelt County as a whole.
28% of truck crash reports in Roosevelt 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, 12.8% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (5.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 36.6% of truck crashes, against 46.8% across New Mexico.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 10.1% of truck crashes.
5.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 12.1% across New Mexico.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Portales happened on SR-236 (2), US-70 (2) and North Industrial Drive (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
FMCSA lists no garbage-truck crashes in Roosevelt County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Portales fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Roosevelt County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-236 | 2 |
| US-70 | 2 |
| North Industrial Drive | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Roosevelt County) |
|---|---|
| US-70 | 19 |
| US-60 | 7 |
| Us 60/84 | 4 |
| Nm 114 | 2 |
| Nm 202 | 2 |
| Nm 236 | 2 |
| Nm Highway 88 | 2 |
| Us 60 Mm 352 | 2 |
Portales at a glance
| Population | 11,789 |
| Land area | 8.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,468 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 88130) | $52,434 |
| Median home value (ZIP 88130) | $134,804 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Roosevelt 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 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 4 | +23% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 9 | +107% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 8 | -16% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 8 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Portales
How many truck crashes happen in Portales?
Since 2015, 109 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Roosevelt County (64 injured, 18 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Portales?
May has the most truck crashes in Roosevelt County, 12.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Portales?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Roosevelt County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Portales compare with New Mexico for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 49.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Roosevelt County, vs 45.6 for New Mexico.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Portales?
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.