ZIP 78520 (Brownsville, TX) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 78520: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Cameron County, 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
9 of 1,016 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cameron County compares with Texas
Cameron County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cameron County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cameron County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 20.1 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 68% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.79 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 24% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.6% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 62% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.5% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.1% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.3% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 23.4% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Cameron County has lower values than Texas for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Cameron County: 0.6% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Texas: 1.7%).
Overview
Cameron County has recorded 1,016 truck crashes since 2015, with 786 people injured and 45 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 42.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Texas.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (7.4%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 0.6% of truck crashes, compared with 1.7% in Texas.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 78520 since 2015: I-69E (1), SR-550 (1) and US-281 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
9 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.9% share (Texas: 1.1%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 78520 fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cameron 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 Cameron County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-69E | 1 |
| SR-550 | 1 |
| US-281 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cameron County) |
|---|---|
| Padre Island Hwy | 43 |
| Boca Chica Blvd | 28 |
| Fm 511 | 19 |
| International Blvd | 18 |
| Ruben M Torres Blvd | 15 |
| Paredes Line Rd | 14 |
| Military Hwy | 14 |
| Senator Eddie Lucio Jr Hwy | 13 |
ZIP 78520 at a glance
| Population | 64,740 |
| Density | 629 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $50,116 |
| Median home value | $144,162 |
| Home ownership | 60% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cameron 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 | 110 | — | 2.8 |
| 2000s | 90 | -18% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 71 | -22% | 2.2 |
| 2020s | 92 | +29% | 3.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 110 to 92. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.0 a year in 2016–19, 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 78520
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 78520?
Since 2015, 1,016 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cameron County (786 injured, 45 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 78520?
The worst month is July: 10.1% of truck crashes in Cameron County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 78520?
9 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Cameron County since 2015, 0.9% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 78520 compare with Texas for truck crashes?
Cameron County records 20.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.9 across Texas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 78520?
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.