Potomac, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Potomac: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Potomac and Missoula County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Missoula County numbers.
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 |
Compared with Montana, Missoula County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: after dark.
Missoula County at a glance: 1 in 385 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.3%, vs 0.9% in Montana.
Overview
Missoula County has recorded 402 truck crashes since 2015, with 121 people injured and 14 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 10 days.
Potomac had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Missoula County numbers.
90% of truck crash reports in Missoula County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 12.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.2%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.0% of truck crashes, against 54.3% across Montana.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 33.4% of truck crashes, compared with 39.4% in Montana.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Potomac since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-200 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.2% share (Montana: 0.9%).
Route planning tips for Potomac fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 Missoula County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-200 | 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 |
Potomac at a glance
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59823) | $82,813 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59823) | $486,076 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1 to 34. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Potomac
How common are truck crashes in Potomac?
Since 2015, 402 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Missoula County (121 injured, 14 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Potomac?
Truck crashes in Missoula County peak in December, with 12.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Potomac?
Since 2015, Missoula County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Potomac compare with Montana?
The yearly rate is 28.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Missoula County, vs 64.3 for Montana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Potomac?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.