ZIP 79536 (Merkel, TX) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 79536: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Taylor 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
13 of 1,384 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Taylor County compares with Texas
Taylor County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Taylor County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Taylor County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 79.0 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.58 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 8% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 3.6% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 2.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.9% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.0% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.3% | 27.0% | 24.8% | same |
Taylor County sits below Texas on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Texas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Taylor County: 3.6% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 1.7% in Texas.
Overview
Taylor County has recorded 1,384 truck crashes since 2015, with 742 people injured and 56 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 10.2% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (5.7%).
November through March accounts for 42.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 40.8% in Texas.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 7.7% of truck crashes.
3.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across Texas.
Where crashes happen
I-20 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 79536 with 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come Fm 605 (1) and Fm 707 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 13 of the truck crashes here, or 0.9%, compared with 1.1% in Texas.
Route planning tips for ZIP 79536 fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-20, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 3.6% 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 Taylor County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-20 | 11 |
| Fm 605 | 1 |
| Fm 707 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Taylor County) |
|---|---|
| I-20 | 70 |
| Buffalo Gap Rd | 16 |
| S 1St St | 15 |
| Pine St | 12 |
| US-83 | 7 |
| Loop 322 | 7 |
| Ambler Ave | 6 |
| Grape St | 5 |
ZIP 79536 at a glance
| Population | 5,047 |
| Density | 7 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $71,131 |
| Median home value | $117,319 |
| Home ownership | 74% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Taylor 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 | 63 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 80 | +26% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 105 | +32% | 2.3 |
| 2020s | 118 | +11% | 3.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 63 to 118. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 79536
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 79536?
1,384 truck crashes have been reported in Taylor County since 2015, with 56 deaths and 742 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 79536?
I-20 had 11 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 79536 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 79536?
The worst month is August: 10.2% of truck crashes in Taylor County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 79536?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Taylor County since 2015, 0.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 79536 compared with Texas?
Taylor County records 79.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.9 across Texas.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 79536?
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.