Yellowstone County, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Yellowstone 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
14 of 668 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Yellowstone County compares with Montana
Yellowstone County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Yellowstone County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Yellowstone County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 33.4 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 48% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 2.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 32.5% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 18% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.9% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.9% | 20.6% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 53.4% | 54.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.2% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Compared with Montana, Yellowstone County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Yellowstone County at a glance: 1 in 45 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 2.2%, vs 0.9% in Montana.
Overview
Yellowstone County has recorded 668 truck crashes since 2015, with 245 people injured and 24 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 14.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 5.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 53.4% of truck crashes, against 54.3% across Montana.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 8.4% of truck crashes.
32.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 39.4% across Montana.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-90 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (7). It is followed by SR-3 (4), CR-SOUTH Frontage Road (2) and I-94 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 14 of the truck crashes here, or 2.1%, compared with 0.9% in Montana.
Route planning tips for Yellowstone County fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-90, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Morning starts matter: 24.9% 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
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Yellowstone County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Yellowstone County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 7 |
| SR-3 | 4 |
| CR-SOUTH Frontage Road | 2 |
| I-94 | 2 |
| King Ave | 1 |
| Lake Elmo Dr | 1 |
| Lr-Laurel Road | 1 |
| Lr-South Frontage Road | 1 |
| S 72nd St W | 1 |
| Ssr-416 Blue Creek Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Yellowstone County) |
|---|---|
| Johnson Ln | 2 |
| Mile 460.4 I-90W | 2 |
| Mm 458.2 I-90 | 2 |
| Mm455.7 I-90E | 2 |
| Mm468.5 I90W | 2 |
| Mm47.7 I-94 | 2 |
| An21317 | 1 |
| Fin6193 | 1 |
Yellowstone County at a glance
| Population | 171,583 |
| Land area | 2,633.4 sq mi |
| Density | 65 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $79,471 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Yellowstone 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 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 50 | +6956% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 53 | +5% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 56 | +6% | 2.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1 to 56. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Yellowstone County
ZIP codes in Yellowstone County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Yellowstone County
How many truck accidents are there in Yellowstone County?
Yellowstone County has had 668 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 245 people and killing 24.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Yellowstone County?
Since 2015, I-90 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Yellowstone County: 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Yellowstone County?
February has the most truck crashes in Yellowstone County, 14.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Yellowstone County?
14 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Yellowstone County since 2015, 2.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Yellowstone County compare with Montana for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 33.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Yellowstone County, vs 64.3 for Montana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Yellowstone 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.