Laurel, MT truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Laurel: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Laurel and Yellowstone County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Yellowstone County numbers.
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 |
Yellowstone County sits below Montana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark. It runs above Montana on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Yellowstone County: 1 in 45 crashes involve a garbage truck (14 since 2015), vs 0.9% across Montana.
Overview
Police reported 668 crashes involving commercial trucks in Yellowstone County since 2015: 245 people were injured and 24 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
Laurel had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Yellowstone County numbers.
88% of truck crash reports in Yellowstone County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 14.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 5.1%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 53.4% of truck crashes, vs 54.3% for Montana.
By time of day, 9–10 am stands out with 8.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 32.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Montana: 39.4%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Laurel since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-SOUTH Frontage Road (2), I-90 (2), I-94 (1), Lr-South Frontage Road (1) and S 72nd St W (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
14 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.1% share (Montana: 0.9%).
Route planning tips for Laurel fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 24.9% of truck crashes here, more than Montana; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Yellowstone County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-SOUTH Frontage Road | 2 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| I-94 | 1 |
| Lr-South Frontage Road | 1 |
| S 72nd St W | 1 |
| US-310 | 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 |
Laurel at a glance
| Population | 7,251 |
| Land area | 2.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,783 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 59044) | $87,648 |
| Median home value (ZIP 59044) | $348,189 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 1990s and 56 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 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Laurel
How many truck crashes happen in Laurel?
668 truck crashes have been reported in Yellowstone County since 2015, with 24 deaths and 245 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Laurel?
The worst month is February: 14.4% of truck crashes in Yellowstone County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Laurel?
14 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Yellowstone County since 2015, 2.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Laurel compare with Montana for truck crashes?
Yellowstone County records 33.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 64.3 across Montana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Laurel?
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.