ZIP 78597 (South Padre Island, TX) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 78597: 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 sits below Texas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Cameron County: 0.6% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Texas: 1.7%).
Overview
Police reported 1,016 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cameron County since 2015: 786 people were injured and 45 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 10.1% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (7.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.3% of truck crashes, against 40.8% across Texas.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Texas: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 78597 since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
9 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.9% share (Texas: 1.1%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 78597 fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 78597 at a glance
| Population | 2,935 |
| Density | 128 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $68,421 |
| Median home value | $527,470 |
| Home ownership | 71% |
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 |
In the 1990s about 110 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 92. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 2.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 78597
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 78597?
Since 2015, 1,016 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cameron County (786 injured, 45 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 78597?
The worst month is July: 10.1% of truck crashes in Cameron County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 78597?
Garbage trucks were involved in 9 reported crashes in Cameron County since 2015 (0.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 78597 compared with Texas?
The yearly rate is 20.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cameron County, vs 62.9 for Texas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 78597?
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.