ZIP 78661 (Prairie Lea, TX) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 78661: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Caldwell 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
5 of 519 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Caldwell County compares with Texas
Caldwell County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Caldwell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Caldwell County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 83.4 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.8 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.73 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.8% | 22.6% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.5% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 24% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.7% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.4% | 27.0% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Texas, Caldwell County is lower on in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in ZIP 78661: I-10 6 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of ZIP 78661.
Overview
Since 2015, 519 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Caldwell County. They injured 369 people and killed 29.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 10.0% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (5.0%).
November through March accounts for 38.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Texas.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 9.4% of truck crashes.
1.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across Texas.
Where crashes happen
I-10 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 78661 with 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-80 (2), Fm 20/State Park Rd (1) and Fm671 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 1.0%, compared with 1.1% in Texas.
Route planning tips for ZIP 78661 fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-10; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 1.9% of truck crashes here, more than Texas; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Caldwell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-10 | 6 |
| SR-80 | 2 |
| Fm 20/State Park Rd | 1 |
| Fm671 | 1 |
| SR-130 | 1 |
| US-90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Caldwell County) |
|---|---|
| E 900 Pierce St | 7 |
| Camino Real | 6 |
| Camino Real Hwy | 6 |
| San Marcos Hwy | 6 |
| Sh 130 | 6 |
| Blackjack St | 5 |
| N 200 Magnolia Ave | 5 |
| E 4100 Pierce St | 4 |
ZIP 78661 at a glance
| Population | 835 |
| Density | 78 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $82,896 |
| Median home value | $209,479 |
| Home ownership | 91% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Caldwell 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 | 20 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 25 | +23% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 35 | +42% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 47 | +33% | 2.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 20 to 47. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 78661
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 78661?
519 truck crashes have been reported in Caldwell County since 2015, with 29 deaths and 369 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 78661?
Since 2015, I-10 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 78661: 6.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 78661?
The worst month is August: 10.0% of truck crashes in Caldwell County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 78661?
Since 2015, Caldwell County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 78661 compared with Texas?
Per 100,000 residents, Caldwell County has 83.4 truck crashes a year; Texas has 62.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 78661?
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.