Polson, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polson: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Polson and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 138 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with Montana
Lake County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.3 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 47% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.1 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.8% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.7% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 19% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.0% | 54.3% | 41.9% | 15% below the state |
| After dark | 24.6% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 20% below the state |
Lake County sits below Montana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Lake County: 1 in 63 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 0.9% across Montana.
Overview
Lake County has recorded 138 truck crashes since 2015, with 68 people injured and 10 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 32 days.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in Polson since 2015; patterns below come from Lake County as a whole.
85% of truck crash reports in Lake County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (14.5% of the year) and are lowest in March (4.3%).
November through March accounts for 46.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 54.3% in Montana.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 11.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 19.8% of truck crashes, compared with 39.4% in Montana.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Polson since 2015: US-93 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.4% of the total, against 0.9% across Montana.
Route planning tips for Polson fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 24.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Montana.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-93 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| US-93 | 3 |
| Mm 23.8 Us Highway 93 | 1 |
| Mm 48.2 Highway 93 | 1 |
| Mm 50.5 Us Hwy 93 | 1 |
| Mm48. 4 Hwy93 | 1 |
| Mm65.3 Hwy93 | 1 |
| Mm65.4 Us93 | 1 |
| Mm73.9 Us93 | 1 |
Polson at a glance
| Population | 5,631 |
| Land area | 4.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,254 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59860) | $62,047 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59860) | $444,732 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | — | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 14 | — | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 10 | -33% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 10 | +9% | 1.0 |
In the 2000s about 14 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 10. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Polson
How many truck crashes happen in Polson?
Lake County has had 138 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 68 people and killing 10.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Polson?
December has the most truck crashes in Lake County, 14.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Polson?
Since 2015, Lake County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Polson compare with Montana?
The yearly rate is 34.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 64.3 for Montana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Polson?
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.