North Valley, NM truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in North Valley: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in North Valley and Sandoval County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Sandoval County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 242 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Sandoval County compares with New Mexico
Sandoval County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sandoval County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sandoval County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 12.9 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 72% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.2 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.56 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.7% | 0.4% | 2.3% | 6.0× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.4% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 22% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.1% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.0% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 46.8% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 32.3% | 30.2% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with New Mexico, Sandoval County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
Sandoval County at a glance: 1 in 37 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.7%, against 0.4% for New Mexico.
Overview
Police reported 242 crashes involving commercial trucks in Sandoval County since 2015: 126 people were injured and 17 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 18 days.
North Valley had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Sandoval County numbers.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 13.2% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.0% of truck crashes, against 46.8% across New Mexico.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 7.4% of truck crashes.
9.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 12.1% across New Mexico.
Where crashes happen
I-40 leads within 10 miles of North Valley with 20 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-25 (3), Central Ave (2) and SR-45 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 6 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 0.4% across New Mexico.
Route planning tips for North Valley fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Sandoval County.
- Look at alternatives to I-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 25.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than New Mexico.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Sandoval County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 20 |
| I-25 | 3 |
| Central Ave | 2 |
| SR-45 | 2 |
| SR-528 | 2 |
| 2nd St Nw | 1 |
| 4th Street | 1 |
| 98th St | 1 |
| 98th Street | 1 |
| Alameda Blvd New | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sandoval County) |
|---|---|
| US-550 | 57 |
| I-25 | 15 |
| SR-550 | 5 |
| Nm 528 | 4 |
| State Road 528 | 3 |
| Us Highway 550 & Ts Jicarilla Rd | 3 |
| W Us 550 | 3 |
| Abrazo Rd | 2 |
North Valley at a glance
| Land area | 6.9 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sandoval 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 | — | 1.8 |
| 2000s | 10 | +163% | 1.8 |
| 2010s | 18 | +79% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 19 | +5% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 19 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 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about North Valley
How common are truck crashes in North Valley?
242 truck crashes have been reported in Sandoval County since 2015, with 17 deaths and 126 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in North Valley?
NHTSA data shows I-40 with 20 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of North Valley since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in North Valley?
Truck crashes in Sandoval County peak in September, with 13.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in North Valley?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in Sandoval County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
How does North Valley compare with New Mexico for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 12.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Sandoval County, vs 45.6 for New Mexico.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in North Valley?
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.