Columbia Falls, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Columbia Falls: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Columbia Falls and Flathead County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Flathead County numbers.
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 sits below Montana on 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.
Flathead County at a glance: 1 in 38 crashes involve a garbage truck (9 since 2015), vs 0.9% across Montana.
Overview
Flathead County has recorded 379 truck crashes since 2015, with 152 people injured and 23 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 12 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Columbia Falls since 2015; patterns below come from Flathead County as a whole.
84% of truck crash reports in Flathead 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 (11.9% of the year) and are lowest in February (4.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 37.3% of truck crashes, vs 54.3% for Montana.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 9.8% of truck crashes.
20.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 39.4% across Montana.
Where crashes happen
US-2 leads within 10 miles of Columbia Falls with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: SR-40 (2), US-93 (1) and Us- 2 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
9 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (Montana: 0.9%).
Route planning tips for Columbia Falls fleets
- Plan July schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Flathead County.
- Look at alternatives to US-2 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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
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 Flathead County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 5 |
| SR-40 | 2 |
| US-93 | 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 |
Columbia Falls at a glance
| Population | 5,713 |
| Land area | 2.3 sq mi |
| Density | 2,504 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59912) | $76,617 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59912) | $487,611 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 39 a year in the 2000s and 33 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Columbia Falls
How many truck crashes happen in Columbia Falls?
Since 2015, 379 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Flathead County (152 injured, 23 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Columbia Falls?
Since 2015, US-2 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Columbia Falls: 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Columbia Falls?
Truck crashes in Flathead County peak in July, with 11.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Columbia Falls?
Since 2015, Flathead County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.4% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Columbia Falls compare with Montana?
Flathead County records 27.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 64.3 across Montana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Columbia Falls?
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.