North Dakota truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in North Dakota: 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
5.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.1 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How North Dakota compares with United States
North Dakota against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where North Dakota stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | North Dakota | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 73.9 | 49.7 | 1.5× the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.2× the US |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.49 | 33% below the US |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 2.3% | 61% below the US |
| On snow, slush or ice | 34.4% | 6.2% | 5.5× the US |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.2% | 13.8% | 1.2× the US |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the US |
| After dark | 24.7% | 24.8% | same |
North Dakota has lower values than the US for injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
North Dakota at a glance: 34.4% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 6.2% across the US.
Overview
North Dakota has recorded 7,080 truck crashes since 2015, with 2,378 people injured and 300 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 10.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 5.8%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 47.2% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across the US.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 7.4% of truck crashes.
34.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 6.2% across the US.
Where crashes happen
US-2 leads in North Dakota with 23 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: I-94 (19), SR-23 (16) and I-29 (10).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 63 crashes, 0.9% of the total, against 2.3% across the US.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (16% of them).
They recorded 5.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 4.1 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for North Dakota fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in North Dakota.
- Look at alternatives to US-2 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 34.4% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above the US), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 North Dakota
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in North Dakota) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 23 |
| I-94 | 19 |
| SR-23 | 16 |
| I-29 | 10 |
| US-85 | 10 |
| SR-1804 | 8 |
| US-83 | 8 |
| SR-22 | 6 |
| US-52 | 6 |
| SR-200 | 4 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (North Dakota) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 38 |
| US-2 | 31 |
| I-29 | 27 |
| 32Nd Ave Sw | 11 |
| 151St Ave Nw | 11 |
| 45Th St | 10 |
| SR-18 | 10 |
| US-52 | 10 |
North Dakota at a glance
| Population | 796,568 |
| Land area | 68,994.3 sq mi |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in North Dakota 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 | 227 | — | 11.2 |
| 2000s | 304 | +34% | 14.8 |
| 2010s | 690 | +126% | 29.9 |
| 2020s | 578 | -16% | 21.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 227 to 578. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 20.5 a year in 2016–19, 21.4 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in North Dakota
Largest places in North Dakota
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about North Dakota
How common are truck crashes in North Dakota?
7,080 truck crashes have been reported in North Dakota since 2015, with 300 deaths and 2,378 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in North Dakota?
US-2 had 23 fatal crashes involving a large truck in North Dakota since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in North Dakota?
Truck crashes in North Dakota peak in December, with 10.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in North Dakota?
Garbage trucks were involved in 63 reported crashes in North Dakota since 2015 (0.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in North Dakota compared with the US?
North Dakota records 73.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.7 across the US.
How can I plan a safer truck route in North Dakota?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.