Whitefish, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Whitefish: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Whitefish 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 |
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 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
Flathead County has recorded 379 truck crashes since 2015, with 152 people injured and 23 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 12 days in fully reported years.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Whitefish 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
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.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out 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
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Whitefish since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-40 (2) and US-2 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
9 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (Montana: 0.9%).
Route planning tips for Whitefish fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 27.2% 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
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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) |
|---|---|
| SR-40 | 2 |
| US-2 | 2 |
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 |
Whitefish at a glance
| Population | 9,256 |
| Land area | 7.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,263 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59937) | $75,428 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59937) | $698,115 |
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 Whitefish
How many truck accidents are there in Whitefish?
379 truck crashes have been reported in Flathead County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 152 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Whitefish?
July has the most truck crashes in Flathead County, 11.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Whitefish?
Since 2015, Flathead County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Whitefish compare with Montana for truck crashes?
Flathead County records 27.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 64.3 across Montana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Whitefish?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.