Flathead County, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Flathead 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
9 of 379 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Flathead County compares with Montana
Flathead County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Flathead County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Flathead County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 27.5 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 57% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.4 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 2.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.2% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 49% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.2% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.6% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 34% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.3% | 54.3% | 41.9% | 31% below the state |
| After dark | 16.2% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 47% below the state |
Flathead County has lower values than Montana for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Montana on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Flathead County: 1 in 38 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 2.6%, vs 0.9% in Montana.
Overview
Since 2015, 379 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Flathead County. They injured 152 people and killed 23.
That averages about one truck crash every 12 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 11.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 4.7%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.3% of truck crashes, against 54.3% across Montana.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 20.2% of truck crashes, compared with 39.4% in Montana.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Flathead County is US-2, with 10 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-35 (3), US-93 (3) and SR-40 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 9 crashes, 2.4% of the total, against 0.9% across Montana.
Route planning tips for Flathead County fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Flathead County.
- Check whether your routes use US-2, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.2% of truck crashes here, more than Montana; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Flathead County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Flathead County) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 10 |
| SR-35 | 3 |
| US-93 | 3 |
| SR-40 | 2 |
| CR-DYER Rd Ed | 1 |
| SR-82 | 1 |
| Sr- Hwy 35 | 1 |
| US-2E | 1 |
| Us- 2 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Flathead County) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 4 |
| Church Dr | 2 |
| Helena Flats Rd | 2 |
| Truck Route 9Th St | 2 |
| 1St Ave E / 11Th St | 1 |
| Blacktail Heights | 1 |
| Blacktail Rd | 1 |
| Glenwood Dr | 1 |
Flathead County at a glance
| Population | 114,527 |
| Land area | 5,087.3 sq mi |
| Density | 23 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $73,505 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Flathead 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 | — | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 39 | — | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 27 | -30% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 33 | +22% | 2.4 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 39 to 33. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Flathead County
ZIP codes in Flathead County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Flathead County
How many truck accidents are there in Flathead County?
379 truck crashes have been reported in Flathead County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 152 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Flathead County?
US-2 had 10 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Flathead County since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Flathead County?
July has the most truck crashes in Flathead County, 11.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Flathead County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 9 reported crashes in Flathead County since 2015 (2.4% of truck crashes).
How does Flathead County compare with Montana for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Flathead County has 27.5 truck crashes a year; Montana has 64.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Flathead 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.