Elsa, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elsa: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elsa and Hidalgo County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Hidalgo County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Hidalgo County compares with Texas
Hidalgo County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Hidalgo County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Hidalgo County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.2 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 54% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 49% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.95 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.6× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 1.1% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.4% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 75% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.8% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 22% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.6% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 24% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.1% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.2% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 22% below the state |
Compared with Texas, Hidalgo County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Texas on injuries per crash.
Hidalgo County at a glance: 0.4% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Texas: 1.7%).
Overview
Police reported 3,121 crashes involving commercial trucks in Hidalgo County since 2015: 2,969 people were injured and 65 were killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Elsa had 8 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Hidalgo County numbers.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 9.3% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (6.7%).
November through March accounts for 43.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Texas.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (8.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.4% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in Texas.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elsa since 2015 were spread across roads: Fm 1015 (2), I-2 (2), I-69 (2), Fm 1425 (1) and Fm 1925/Monte Cristo Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 34 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 1.1% in Texas.
Their busiest month is September, with 15% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Elsa fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Hidalgo County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Fm 1015 | 2 |
| I-2 | 2 |
| I-69 | 2 |
| Fm 1425 | 1 |
| Fm 1925/Monte Cristo Rd | 1 |
| Fm 2812 | 1 |
| Fm 491 | 1 |
| Fm 493 | 1 |
| Fm 495 | 1 |
| Westgate Dr | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Hidalgo County) |
|---|---|
| S 9901 Cage Blvd | 19 |
| Monte Cristo Rd | 15 |
| Military Hwy | 14 |
| E 1300 Monte Cristo Rd | 14 |
| Alamo Rd | 11 |
| S 9900 Cage Blvd | 9 |
| Moorefield Rd | 8 |
| N 4600 Cage Blvd | 8 |
Elsa at a glance
| Population | 5,750 |
| Land area | 2.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2,755 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 78543) | $44,527 |
| Median home value (ZIP 78543) | $85,556 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Hidalgo 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 | 178 | — | 5.6 |
| 2000s | 196 | +10% | 6.6 |
| 2010s | 199 | +2% | 4.1 |
| 2020s | 296 | +48% | 5.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 178 to 296. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elsa
How common are truck crashes in Elsa?
3,121 truck crashes have been reported in Hidalgo County since 2015, with 65 deaths and 2,969 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Elsa?
Truck crashes in Hidalgo County peak in March, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elsa?
Garbage trucks were involved in 34 reported crashes in Hidalgo County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Elsa compare with Texas?
Hidalgo County records 29.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.9 across Texas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Elsa?
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.