Mercedes, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mercedes: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mercedes 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 |
Hidalgo County sits below Texas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Texas on injuries per crash.
The headline for Hidalgo County: 0.4% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 1.7% in Texas.
Overview
Police reported 3,121 crashes involving commercial trucks in Hidalgo County since 2015: 2,969 people were injured and 65 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 36 truck crashes reported in Mercedes since 2015, this page uses Hidalgo County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (9.3% of the year) and are lowest in July (6.7%).
November through March accounts for 43.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Texas.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 8.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Texas: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Mercedes happened on I-2 (3), US-281 (3), Fm 491 (2), Fm 1015 (1) and Fm 1425 Mile 2 Rd (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 34 crashes, 1.1% of the total, against 1.1% across Texas.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (15% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.1 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Mercedes fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Hidalgo County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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) |
|---|---|
| I-2 | 3 |
| US-281 | 3 |
| Fm 491 | 2 |
| Fm 1015 | 1 |
| Fm 1425 Mile 2 Rd | 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 |
Mercedes at a glance
| Population | 17,535 |
| Land area | 11.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,486 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 78570) | $41,965 |
| Median home value (ZIP 78570) | $94,931 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.2 a year in 2016–19, 5.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Mercedes
How many truck accidents are there in Mercedes?
Since 2015, 3,121 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Hidalgo County (2,969 injured, 65 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Mercedes?
Truck crashes in Hidalgo County peak in March, with 9.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Mercedes?
Garbage trucks were involved in 34 reported crashes in Hidalgo County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Mercedes compare with Texas?
Hidalgo County records 29.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.9 across Texas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Mercedes?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.