ZIP 81326 (Hesperus, CO) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 81326: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in La Plata 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
8 of 195 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How La Plata County compares with Colorado
La Plata County against Colorado and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where La Plata County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | La Plata County | Colorado | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 30.2 | 32.6 | 49.7 | 7% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.9 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.32 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.1% | 14.8% | 6.2% | 32% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.5% | 25.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.6% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 20% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.2% | 43.5% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 21.7% | 22.4% | 24.8% | same |
La Plata County has lower values than Colorado for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Colorado on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for La Plata County: 1 in 24 crashes involve a garbage truck (8 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Colorado.
Overview
La Plata County has recorded 195 truck crashes since 2015, with 73 people injured and 15 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 21 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in November (10.3% of the year) and are lowest in February (5.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.2% of truck crashes, against 43.5% across Colorado.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 13.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 10.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Colorado: 14.8%).
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of ZIP 81326 since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 4.1%, compared with 2.8% in Colorado.
Route planning tips for ZIP 81326 fleets
- Plan November schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in La Plata County.
- 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 La Plata 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 (La Plata County) |
|---|---|
| Cr 310 At Cr 309A | 2 |
| Hwy 160 4,752 Feet E Of Mp 91 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 110 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 71 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 91 | 2 |
| Hwy 160 At Mp 92 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 27 | 2 |
| Hwy 550 At Mp 47 | 2 |
ZIP 81326 at a glance
| Population | 2,621 |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $80,089 |
| Median home value | $574,874 |
| Home ownership | 86% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in La Plata 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 | 9 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 25 | +166% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 19 | -23% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 18 | -5% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 9 a year in the 1990s and 18 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 81326
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 81326?
195 truck crashes have been reported in La Plata County since 2015, with 15 deaths and 73 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 81326?
Truck crashes in La Plata County peak in November, with 10.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 81326?
8 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in La Plata County since 2015, 4.1% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 81326 compare with Colorado for truck crashes?
La Plata County records 30.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 32.6 across Colorado.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 81326?
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.