Harker Heights, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Harker Heights: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Harker Heights and Bell County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Bell County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12.5 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Bell County compares with Texas
Bell County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Bell County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.8 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 13% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 7% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.57 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 9% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.7% | 1.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.9% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.3% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.3% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 30.4% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Texas, Bell County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
The headline for Bell County: 15.3% share of truck crashes in rain, sleet or snow (Texas: 11.3%).
Overview
Bell County has recorded 2,599 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,540 people injured and 99 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
With 64 truck crashes reported in Harker Heights since 2015, this page uses Bell County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 9.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is December at 7.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.3% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Texas.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (6.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 1.7% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in Texas.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Harker Heights since 2015: Fm 2484 (3), I-35 (3), Fm 439 (2), I-14 (2) and SR-195 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 26 crashes, 1.0% of the total, against 1.1% across Texas.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (15% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 12.5, vs 3.8 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Harker Heights fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Bell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Fm 2484 | 3 |
| I-35 | 3 |
| Fm 439 | 2 |
| I-14 | 2 |
| SR-195 | 2 |
| US-190 | 2 |
| Fm 2843 | 1 |
| Fm 93 | 1 |
| Fm 93 Nolan Valley Rd | 1 |
| Fm3470 Stan Schlueter Lp | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bell County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 103 |
| I-14 | 18 |
| Airport Rd | 18 |
| Chaparral Rd | 15 |
| Wendland Rd | 14 |
| Industrial Blvd | 10 |
| Clear Creek Rd | 10 |
| US-190 | 9 |
Harker Heights at a glance
| Population | 35,263 |
| Land area | 15.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,257 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 76548) | $80,520 |
| Median home value (ZIP 76548) | $283,452 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bell 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 | 109 | — | 2.6 |
| 2000s | 132 | +21% | 4.6 |
| 2010s | 181 | +37% | 3.8 |
| 2020s | 219 | +21% | 7.6 |
In the 1990s about 109 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 219. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 5.0 a year in 2016–19, 7.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Harker Heights
How many truck accidents are there in Harker Heights?
2,599 truck crashes have been reported in Bell County since 2015, with 99 deaths and 1,540 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Harker Heights?
July has the most truck crashes in Bell County, 9.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Harker Heights?
Since 2015, Bell County has reported 26 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Harker Heights compare with Texas for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 54.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Bell County, vs 62.9 for Texas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Harker Heights?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.