Denton County, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Denton County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.9 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Denton County compares with Texas
Denton County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Denton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Denton County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.4 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 41% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 41% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.1% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 32% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.2% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.9% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.7% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Compared with Texas, Denton County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Denton County: I-35 deadliest road: 15 fatal truck crashes in Denton County since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 4,557 crashes involving commercial trucks in Denton County since 2015: 2,174 people were injured and 105 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 9.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 6.5%.
November through March accounts for 38.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Texas.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.2% of truck crashes.
1.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across Texas.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Denton County is I-35, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-377 (11), I-35E (7) and US-380 (7).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 55 of the truck crashes here, or 1.2%, compared with 1.1% in Texas.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (15% of them).
They recorded 1.9 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Denton County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-35, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Denton County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.3% of truck crashes here, more than Texas; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Denton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Denton County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 15 |
| US-377 | 11 |
| I-35E | 7 |
| US-380 | 7 |
| Fm 156 | 3 |
| Fm 455 | 3 |
| I-35W | 3 |
| SR-114 | 3 |
| Fm 428 | 2 |
| SR-121 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Denton County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 160 |
| Sam Rayburn Tollway | 118 |
| I-35E | 82 |
| SR-114 | 46 |
| Main St | 45 |
| Sh 121 | 42 |
| Sh 114 | 40 |
| President George Bush Turnpike | 31 |
Denton County at a glance
| Population | 1,045,120 |
| Land area | 878.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,189 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $119,384 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Denton 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 | 205 | — | 5.9 |
| 2000s | 256 | +25% | 7.2 |
| 2010s | 292 | +14% | 4.8 |
| 2020s | 414 | +42% | 8.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 205 a year in the 1990s and 414 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 6.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 8.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Denton County
ZIP codes in Denton County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Denton County
How many truck crashes happen in Denton County?
Denton County has had 4,557 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 2,174 people and killing 105.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Denton County?
Since 2015, I-35 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Denton County: 15.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Denton County?
October has the most truck crashes in Denton County, 9.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Denton County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 55 reported crashes in Denton County since 2015 (1.2% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Denton County compared with Texas?
Per 100,000 residents, Denton County has 37.4 truck crashes a year; Texas has 62.9.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Denton County?
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.