ZIP 87548 (Medanales, NM) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 87548: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Rio Arriba 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
3 of 75 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rio Arriba County compares with New Mexico
Rio Arriba County against New Mexico and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rio Arriba County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rio Arriba County | New Mexico | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 15.9 | 45.6 | 49.7 | 65% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 15.7 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.56 | 0.49 | 21% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.3% | 0.4% | 2.3% | 9.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.3% | 12.1% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 15.7% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 31% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.0% | 11.7% | 13.8% | 15% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.7% | 46.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.7% | 30.2% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Rio Arriba County sits below New Mexico on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Rio Arriba County: 1 in 23 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.3%, against 0.4% for New Mexico.
Overview
Since 2015, 75 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Rio Arriba County. They injured 33 people and killed 13.
That averages about one truck crash every 57 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 14.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.7% of truck crashes, vs 46.8% for New Mexico.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 12.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 14.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (New Mexico: 12.1%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 87548 happened on US-84 (2) and US-285 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
3 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.0% share (New Mexico: 0.4%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 87548 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 14.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above New Mexico; 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
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Rio Arriba County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-84 | 2 |
| US-285 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rio Arriba County) |
|---|---|
| US-550 | 8 |
| US-84 | 5 |
| US-64 | 5 |
| State Road 68 | 2 |
| Bl0Ck Of South Riverside Drive | 1 |
| County Road 56A | 1 |
| County Road 69 | 1 |
| Hwy 84/285 Mm 197 | 1 |
ZIP 87548 at a glance
| Population | 1,024 |
| Density | 85 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $72,788 |
| Home ownership | 74% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rio Arriba 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 | 2 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 5 | +178% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 6 | +20% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 7 | +9% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 7 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 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 87548
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 87548?
75 truck crashes have been reported in Rio Arriba County since 2015, with 13 deaths and 33 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 87548?
Truck crashes in Rio Arriba County peak in January, with 14.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 87548?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Rio Arriba County since 2015 (4.0% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 87548 compared with New Mexico?
Per 100,000 residents, Rio Arriba County has 15.9 truck crashes a year; New Mexico has 45.6.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 87548?
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.