Cardwell, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cardwell: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cardwell and Jefferson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jefferson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 382 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jefferson County compares with Montana
Jefferson County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jefferson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jefferson County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 241.9 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 3.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.3% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 70% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 39.3% | 39.4% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.2% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.0% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 27% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.8% | 54.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.5% | 30.8% | 24.8% | same |
Jefferson County has lower values than Montana for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and deaths per 100 crashes.
What stands out in Jefferson County: 1 in 357 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.3%, against 0.9% for Montana.
Overview
Police reported 382 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jefferson County since 2015: 116 people were injured and 17 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Cardwell since 2015; patterns below come from Jefferson County as a whole.
87% of truck crash reports in Jefferson County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.8% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (3.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 52.8% of truck crashes, vs 54.3% for Montana.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (8.4%).
Road surface: 39.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Montana: 39.4%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cardwell since 2015 were spread across roads: I-90 (2) and I- 90 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 0.3% of the total, against 0.9% across Montana.
Route planning tips for Cardwell fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 Jefferson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 2 |
| I- 90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jefferson County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| Mm 14 Mt-69 | 2 |
| I-902 Mm237.7 | 1 |
| I-90E Mm239.8 | 1 |
| I-90E Mm259.1 | 1 |
| I-90W Mm255.9 | 1 |
| Mile 0.0 State Hwy 69 | 1 |
| Mm 155.0 I-15S | 1 |
Cardwell at a glance
| Land area | 2.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59721) | $94,167 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59721) | $740,704 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jefferson 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 | — | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 16 | — | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 24 | +57% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 36 | +48% | 1.4 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 16 to 36. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cardwell
How many truck accidents are there in Cardwell?
Since 2015, 382 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Jefferson County (116 injured, 17 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Cardwell?
Truck crashes in Jefferson County peak in January, with 11.8% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cardwell?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Jefferson County since 2015 (0.3% of truck crashes).
How does Cardwell compare with Montana for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Jefferson County has 241.9 truck crashes a year; Montana has 64.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Cardwell?
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.