Polebridge, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polebridge: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Polebridge 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 |
Compared with Montana, Flathead County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Flathead County: 1 in 38 crashes involve a garbage truck (9 since 2015), vs 0.9% across Montana.
Overview
Since 2015, 379 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Flathead County. They injured 152 people and killed 23.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 12 days.
Polebridge had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Flathead County numbers.
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
July has the most truck crashes, 11.9% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (4.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.3% of truck crashes, against 54.3% across 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
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Polebridge since 2015.
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 Polebridge fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 27.2% of truck crashes here, more than Montana; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Polebridge at a glance
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59928) | $63,333 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Polebridge
How common are truck crashes in Polebridge?
Since 2015, 379 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Flathead County (152 injured, 23 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Polebridge?
July has the most truck crashes in Flathead County, 11.9% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Polebridge?
Since 2015, Flathead County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Polebridge compared 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 Polebridge?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.