Ellis County, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ellis 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
16 of 2,113 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Ellis County compares with Texas
Ellis County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ellis County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ellis County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 77.0 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 26% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.0% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.0% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.5% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.1% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 33.3% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Ellis County has lower values than Texas for garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Ellis County: I-45 most fatal truck crashes in Ellis County: 15 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 2,113 crashes involving commercial trucks in Ellis County since 2015: 1,178 people were injured and 87 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 9.7% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.1% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Texas.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (7.1%).
2.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across Texas.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Ellis County is I-45, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-287 (13), I-35E (11) and I-35 (8).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 16 crashes, 0.8% of the total, against 1.1% across Texas.
Route planning tips for Ellis County fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-45; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 2.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Texas), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Ellis County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Ellis County) |
|---|---|
| I-45 | 15 |
| US-287 | 13 |
| I-35E | 11 |
| I-35 | 8 |
| US-67 | 3 |
| SR-34 | 2 |
| Fm 1446 | 1 |
| Fm 55 | 1 |
| Fm 664 Ovilla Rd | 1 |
| Fm 813 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ellis County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 42 |
| US-287 | 23 |
| Ovilla Rd | 20 |
| E 100 Ovilla Rd | 12 |
| I-45 | 12 |
| Fm 66 | 10 |
| W 3000 Ennis Ave | 8 |
| Us 287 Bypass | 7 |
Ellis County at a glance
| Population | 232,387 |
| Land area | 935.8 sq mi |
| Density | 248 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $98,412 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ellis 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 | 94 | — | 3.9 |
| 2000s | 113 | +19% | 3.9 |
| 2010s | 132 | +17% | 4.2 |
| 2020s | 194 | +47% | 7.8 |
In the 1990s about 94 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 194. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 5.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 7.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Ellis County
ZIP codes in Ellis County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Ellis County
How many truck crashes happen in Ellis County?
2,113 truck crashes have been reported in Ellis County since 2015, with 87 deaths and 1,178 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Ellis County?
NHTSA data shows I-45 with 15 fatal large-truck crashes in Ellis County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ellis County?
The worst month is June: 9.7% of truck crashes in Ellis County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ellis County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 16 reported crashes in Ellis County since 2015 (0.8% of truck crashes).
How does Ellis County compare with Texas for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Ellis County has 77.0 truck crashes a year; Texas has 62.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ellis 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.