Deer Lodge County, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Deer Lodge County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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
0 of 80 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Deer Lodge County compares with Montana
Deer Lodge County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Deer Lodge County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Deer Lodge County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 71.3 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 32% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 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 | 50.6% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.5% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 15% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.4% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 55.8% | 54.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 39.0% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Montana, Deer Lodge County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
Deer Lodge County at a glance: 0 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.0%, vs 0.9% in Montana.
Overview
Since 2015, 80 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Deer Lodge County. They injured 33 people and killed 2.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 52 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (16.2% of the year) and are lowest in March (2.5%).
November through March accounts for 55.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 54.3% in Montana.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 10.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 50.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Montana: 39.4%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes in Deer Lodge County since 2015 were spread across roads: I-90 (1) and SR-1 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Deer Lodge County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Deer Lodge County fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Deer Lodge County.
- With 50.6% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Montana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Deer Lodge County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Deer Lodge County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 1 |
| SR-1 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Deer Lodge County) |
|---|---|
| I-90W Mm208.4 | 1 |
| Mm 50.8 Mt 43 | 1 |
| Mm203.1, I-90W | 1 |
| Mm210.5 I90W | 1 |
Deer Lodge County at a glance
| Population | 9,811 |
| Land area | 736.7 sq mi |
| Density | 13 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $58,227 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Deer Lodge 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 | — | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 2 | — | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 5 | +96% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 7 | +52% | 0.2 |
In the 2000s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 7. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Deer Lodge County
ZIP codes in Deer Lodge County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Deer Lodge County
How common are truck crashes in Deer Lodge County?
Since 2015, 80 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Deer Lodge County (33 injured, 2 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Deer Lodge County?
The worst month is February: 16.2% of truck crashes in Deer Lodge County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Deer Lodge County?
Since 2015, Deer Lodge County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Deer Lodge County compare with Montana for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Deer Lodge County has 71.3 truck crashes a year; Montana has 64.3.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Deer Lodge County?
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.