Karnes County, TX truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Karnes 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 of 581 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Karnes County compares with Texas
Karnes County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Karnes County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Karnes County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 356.7 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 5.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.2% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 83% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 44% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.0% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.9% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.1% | 40.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 33.9% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Karnes County sits below Texas on garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow.
Karnes County at a glance: 1 in 526 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.2%, vs 1.1% in Texas.
Overview
Since 2015, 581 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Karnes County. They injured 348 people and killed 32.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 10.8% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (5.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.1% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Texas.
By time of day, 4–5 pm stands out with 7.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.9% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in Texas.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (10). After it: SR-72 (6), US-181 (6) and CR-182 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 0.2%, compared with 1.1% in Texas.
Route planning tips for Karnes County fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-80 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Reporting was incomplete in 2020, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Karnes County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Karnes County) |
|---|---|
| SR-80 | 10 |
| SR-72 | 6 |
| US-181 | 6 |
| CR-182 | 1 |
| CR-344 | 1 |
| Fm 627 | 1 |
| Fm 791 | 1 |
| Fm 81 | 1 |
| Mu-Business Park Dr | 1 |
| SR-119 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Karnes County) |
|---|---|
| N 100 Sunset Strip St | 3 |
| Sunset Strip | 3 |
| US-181 | 3 |
| Business Park Dr | 2 |
| Escondido St | 2 |
| Farm To Market Road 81 | 2 |
| N 100 Sunset Strip | 2 |
| N 1800 Us 181 | 2 |
Karnes County at a glance
| Population | 15,137 |
| Land area | 747.8 sq mi |
| Density | 20 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $58,796 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Karnes 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 | 6 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 6 | -5% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 66 | +1041% | 3.2 |
| 2020s | 46 | -31% | 2.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 46. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 3.0 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Karnes County
ZIP codes in Karnes County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Karnes County
How common are truck crashes in Karnes County?
Since 2015, 581 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Karnes County (348 injured, 32 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Karnes County?
NHTSA data shows SR-80 with 10 fatal large-truck crashes in Karnes County since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Karnes County?
The worst month is June: 10.8% of truck crashes in Karnes County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Karnes County?
Since 2015, Karnes County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.2% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Karnes County compared with Texas?
The yearly rate is 356.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Karnes County, vs 62.9 for Texas.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Karnes County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2020; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.