Helena Valley Northwest, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Helena Valley Northwest: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Helena Valley Northwest and Lewis and Clark County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lewis and Clark County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 228 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lewis and Clark County compares with Montana
Lewis and Clark County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lewis and Clark County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 24.9 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 61% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 0.9% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 34.5% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 12% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.9% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.3% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.6% | 54.3% | 41.9% | 16% below the state |
| After dark | 20.9% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 32% below the state |
Lewis and Clark County sits below Montana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and in rain, sleet or snow.
Lewis and Clark County at a glance: October 13.2% of truck crashes happen in October, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 228 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lewis and Clark County since 2015: 69 people were injured and 12 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 19 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Helena Valley Northwest since 2015; patterns below come from Lewis and Clark County as a whole.
82% of truck crash reports in Lewis and Clark County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 13.2% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (3.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.6% of truck crashes, vs 54.3% for Montana.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 9.6% of truck crashes.
34.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 39.4% across Montana.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Helena Valley Northwest since 2015: Canyon Ferry Rd (1), N Rodney St (1), Sr-Green Meadow Dr (1) and Ssr-453 Lincoln Rd (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 0.9%, compared with 0.9% in Montana.
Route planning tips for Helena Valley Northwest fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Lewis and Clark County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| Canyon Ferry Rd | 1 |
| N Rodney St | 1 |
| Sr-Green Meadow Dr | 1 |
| Ssr-453 Lincoln Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lewis and Clark County) |
|---|---|
| Mm 221.5 I-15 | 4 |
| Mm 213.0 I-15 | 3 |
| Mm221.6 I-15 | 2 |
| Canyon Ferry Rd\Custer Ave | 1 |
| E Us Highway 12 And Lola St | 1 |
| Mm 108.2 Mt Highway 200 | 1 |
| Mm 213.1 I-15 | 1 |
| Mm 213.1 I15 | 1 |
Helena Valley Northwest at a glance
| Land area | 16.4 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59602) | $92,985 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59602) | $407,183 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lewis and Clark 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 | — | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 18 | — | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 18 | +1% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 18 | +0% | 1.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 18 a year in the 2000s and 18 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Helena Valley Northwest
How common are truck crashes in Helena Valley Northwest?
228 truck crashes have been reported in Lewis and Clark County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 69 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Helena Valley Northwest?
October has the most truck crashes in Lewis and Clark County, 13.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Helena Valley Northwest?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Lewis and Clark County since 2015 (0.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Helena Valley Northwest compare with Montana?
The yearly rate is 24.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lewis and Clark County, vs 64.3 for Montana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Helena Valley Northwest?
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.