Deer Lodge, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Deer Lodge: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Deer Lodge and Powell County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Powell County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 191 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Powell County compares with Montana
Powell County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Powell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Powell County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 233.7 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 3.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 13% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.31 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 9% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.5% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 40% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 51.4% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.1% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.5% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 65.0% | 54.3% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 45.9% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Powell County has lower values than Montana for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
Powell County at a glance: February the month with the most truck crashes: 16.8% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 191 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Powell County. They injured 60 people and killed 9.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 22 days.
Deer Lodge had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Powell County numbers.
91% of truck crash reports in Powell County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (16.8% of the year) and are lowest in August (2.1%).
November through March accounts for 65.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 54.3% in Montana.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 51.4% of truck crashes, compared with 39.4% in Montana.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Deer Lodge since 2015: I-90 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 0.5% of the total, against 0.9% across Montana.
Route planning tips for Deer Lodge fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 25.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Montana.
- 51.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Montana; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Powell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Powell County) |
|---|---|
| Mile 194.0 I-90 | 1 |
| Mm 117.1 I-90 | 1 |
| Mm 167.9 I90 | 1 |
| Mm 169.9 I-90W | 1 |
| Mm 172.1 I90E | 1 |
| Mm 179.5 I90 | 1 |
| Mm160.9 I-90 | 1 |
| Mm163.1 I90 | 1 |
Deer Lodge at a glance
| Population | 3,006 |
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,937 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59722) | $62,230 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59722) | $290,536 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Powell 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 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 10 | +1920% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 14 | +34% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 18 | +31% | 0.4 |
From the 2000s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 10 to 18. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Deer Lodge
How common are truck crashes in Deer Lodge?
Powell County has had 191 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 60 people and killing 9.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Deer Lodge?
Truck crashes in Powell County peak in February, with 16.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Deer Lodge?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Powell County since 2015 (0.5% of truck crashes).
How does Deer Lodge compare with Montana for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 233.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Powell County, vs 64.3 for Montana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Deer Lodge?
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.