Missoula County, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Missoula County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 402 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Missoula County compares with Montana
Missoula County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Missoula County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Missoula County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 28.4 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 56% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.30 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.3% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 72% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 33.4% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 15% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.4% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.8% | 20.6% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.0% | 54.3% | 41.9% | 12% below the state |
| After dark | 35.2% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Missoula County sits below Montana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: after dark.
What stands out in Missoula County: 1 in 385 crashes involve a garbage truck (1 since 2015), vs 0.9% across Montana.
Overview
Police reported 402 crashes involving commercial trucks in Missoula County since 2015: 121 people were injured and 14 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 10 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 12.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.0% of truck crashes, vs 54.3% for Montana.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.7% of truck crashes.
33.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 39.4% across Montana.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes in Missoula County since 2015 were spread across roads: I-90 (3), US-93 (3), SR-200 (2), Bus-Us-93 Orange St (1) and Mullan Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 0.2%, compared with 0.9% in Montana.
Route planning tips for Missoula County fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Missoula County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Missoula County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| US-93 | 3 |
| SR-200 | 2 |
| Bus-Us-93 Orange St | 1 |
| Mullan Rd | 1 |
| S Orange St | 1 |
| SR-83 | 1 |
| US-12 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Missoula County) |
|---|---|
| Brooks And Higgins | 1 |
| Brow Tine Drive | 1 |
| Gn2963 | 1 |
| Gn770 | 1 |
| I-90 | 1 |
| Mm 110.3 I-90 | 1 |
| Mm 113.2 I-90 | 1 |
| Mm 123.1 I-90 | 1 |
Missoula County at a glance
| Population | 122,546 |
| Land area | 2,593.0 sq mi |
| Density | 47 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $76,637 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Missoula 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 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 38 | +5570% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 31 | -18% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 34 | +9% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 1990s and 34 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Missoula County
ZIP codes in Missoula County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Missoula County
How common are truck crashes in Missoula County?
Since 2015, 402 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Missoula County (121 injured, 14 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Missoula County?
December has the most truck crashes in Missoula County, 12.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Missoula County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Missoula County since 2015 (0.2% of truck crashes).
How does Missoula County compare with Montana for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Missoula County has 28.4 truck crashes a year; Montana has 64.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Missoula County?
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.