Fort Benton, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Fort Benton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Fort Benton and Chouteau County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chouteau County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 65 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chouteau County compares with Montana
Chouteau County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chouteau County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chouteau County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 86.6 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 16.1 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 4.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.9% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 77% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.8% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.6% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 83% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.3% | 54.3% | 41.9% | 28% below the state |
| After dark | 12.5% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 59% below the state |
Chouteau County has lower values than Montana for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Chouteau County: 16.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Montana: 3.8).
Overview
Chouteau County has recorded 65 truck crashes since 2015, with 24 people injured and 9 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 72 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Fort Benton since 2015; patterns below come from Chouteau County as a whole.
72% of truck crash reports in Chouteau County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (13.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (3.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.3% of truck crashes, against 54.3% across Montana.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 12.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 8.9% of truck crashes, compared with 39.4% in Montana.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Fort Benton since 2015 were spread across roads: US-87 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Chouteau County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Fort Benton fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Chouteau County.
- Morning starts matter: 26.8% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Montana.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Chouteau County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-87 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chouteau County) |
|---|---|
| Mm 80.3 Us Hwy 87 | 2 |
| Mm20.5 Us Highway 87 | 2 |
| Bootlegger Trl Nb Mp 29 | 1 |
| Mm 8.1 Mt Highway 80 | 1 |
| Mm47.3 Us87 | 1 |
| S Hwy 223 | 1 |
| Us Hwy 87 Mm 31.8 | 1 |
Fort Benton at a glance
| Population | 1,422 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 620 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59442) | $67,917 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59442) | $245,473 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Chouteau 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 | — | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 4 | — | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 4 | +9% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 6 | +46% | 0.4 |
In the 2000s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 6. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Fort Benton
How common are truck crashes in Fort Benton?
65 truck crashes have been reported in Chouteau County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 24 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Fort Benton?
The worst month is July: 13.8% of truck crashes in Chouteau County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Fort Benton?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Chouteau County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Fort Benton compare with Montana?
Per 100,000 residents, Chouteau County has 86.6 truck crashes a year; Montana has 64.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Fort Benton?
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.