De Smet, ID truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in De Smet: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in De Smet and Benewah County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Benewah County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 103 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Benewah County compares with Idaho
Benewah County against Idaho and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Benewah County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Benewah County | Idaho | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 85.5 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 2.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.1 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 16% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.55 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.2% | 16.0% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 34.3% | 23.0% | 23.7% | 1.5× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.1% | 10.2% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.5% | 40.9% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 13.1% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 42% below the state |
Benewah County has lower values than Idaho for deaths per 100 crashes and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Benewah County: January worst month: 17.5% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 103 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Benewah County. They injured 58 people and killed 6.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 41 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in De Smet since 2015, this page uses Benewah County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (17.5% of the year) and are lowest in September (2.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.5% of truck crashes, vs 40.9% for Idaho.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 12.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.2% of truck crashes, compared with 16.0% in Idaho.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of De Smet happened on US-95 (2) and SR-274 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.9% of the total, against 1.6% across Idaho.
Route planning tips for De Smet fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Benewah County.
- 34.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Idaho; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 25.2% of truck crashes here, more than Idaho; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Benewah County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-95 | 2 |
| SR-274 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Benewah County) |
|---|---|
| US-95 | 29 |
| Sh 3 | 22 |
| Sh 5 | 17 |
| Sh 6 | 8 |
| Fsr 50 | 3 |
| Fsr 50 Rd | 2 |
| Railroad | 2 |
| Sh 60 | 2 |
De Smet at a glance
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 83870) | $51,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 83870) | $503,470 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Benewah 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 | 12 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 9 | -29% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 9 | +2% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 8 | -8% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 8. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about De Smet
How many truck crashes happen in De Smet?
103 truck crashes have been reported in Benewah County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 58 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in De Smet?
The worst month is January: 17.5% of truck crashes in Benewah County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in De Smet?
Since 2015, Benewah County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.9% of its truck crashes.
How does De Smet compare with Idaho for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 85.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Benewah County, vs 37.4 for Idaho.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in De Smet?
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.