ZIP 79776 (Penwell, TX) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 79776: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Ector 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
12 of 2,791 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Ector County compares with Texas
Ector County against Texas and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ector County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ector County | Texas | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 146.3 | 62.9 | 49.7 | 2.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 1.1% | 2.3% | 60% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.5% | 22.6% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.3% | 11.3% | 13.8% | 44% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.2% | 40.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 36.0% | 27.0% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Ector County has lower values than Texas for garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Texas on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Ector County at a glance: +235% reported truck crashes a year in the 2010s vs the 2000s (206 vs 62).
Overview
Police reported 2,791 crashes involving commercial trucks in Ector County since 2015: 1,806 people were injured and 161 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (9.5% of the year) and are lowest in December (7.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.2% of truck crashes, vs 40.8% for Texas.
By time of day, 5–6 pm stands out with 7.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Texas: 1.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 79776 is SR-302, with 13 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-20 (12), Fm 866 (3) and Fm 1936 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 12 crashes, 0.4% of the total, against 1.1% across Texas.
Route planning tips for ZIP 79776 fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Ector County.
- Check whether your routes use SR-302, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 2.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Texas; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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.
Reporting was incomplete in 2016, 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 Ector County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-302 | 13 |
| I-20 | 12 |
| Fm 866 | 3 |
| Fm 1936 | 2 |
| Fm 2020 | 2 |
| Fm 2020/University Blvd | 2 |
| CR-3RD St | 1 |
| CR-BUTTERFIELD Ave | 1 |
| CR-LONG Ave | 1 |
| Fm 2020 University Blvd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ector County) |
|---|---|
| W 42Nd St | 21 |
| W Murphy St | 18 |
| I-20 | 17 |
| Andrews Hwy | 17 |
| N Moss Ave | 13 |
| S Moss Ave | 9 |
| W 16Th St | 9 |
| E 1900 Ih 20 | 8 |
ZIP 79776 at a glance
| Population | 0 |
| Density | 0 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ector 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 | 54 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 58 | +8% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 192 | +229% | 8.6 |
| 2020s | 242 | +26% | 8.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 54 to 242. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 12.0 a year in 2016–19, 8.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 79776
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 79776?
2,791 truck crashes have been reported in Ector County since 2015, with 161 deaths and 1,806 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 79776?
Since 2015, SR-302 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 79776: 13.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 79776?
July has the most truck crashes in Ector County, 9.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 79776?
Garbage trucks were involved in 12 reported crashes in Ector County since 2015 (0.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 79776 compare with Texas?
Ector County records 146.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 62.9 across Texas.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 79776?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2016; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.