Bismarck, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bismarck: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bismarck and Burleigh County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Burleigh County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 284 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Burleigh County compares with North Dakota
Burleigh County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Burleigh County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Burleigh County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 24.5 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 67% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 41% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.33 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 13% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 23.7% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 31% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.7% | 22.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.9% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 27% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.9% | 47.2% | 41.9% | 15% below the state |
| After dark | 18.6% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Burleigh County has lower values than North Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Burleigh County at a glance: March 12.0% of truck crashes happen in March, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 284 crashes involving commercial trucks in Burleigh County since 2015: 97 people were injured and 9 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 14 days in fully reported years.
With 131 truck crashes reported in Bismarck since 2015, this page uses Burleigh County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
49% of truck crash reports in Burleigh County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 12.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 4.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 39.9% of truck crashes, vs 47.2% for North Dakota.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 8.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 23.7% of truck crashes, compared with 34.4% in North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Bismarck since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-MAIN Ave (1), E Main St (1), I-94B (1), SR-10 (1) and SR-1804 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 0.7% of the total, against 0.9% across North Dakota.
Route planning tips for Bismarck fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Burleigh County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Reporting was incomplete in 2020, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Burleigh County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-MAIN Ave | 1 |
| E Main St | 1 |
| I-94B | 1 |
| SR-10 | 1 |
| SR-1804 | 1 |
| SR-1806 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Burleigh County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 4 |
| 26Th St | 2 |
| Century Ave | 2 |
| Country West Rd | 2 |
| State St | 2 |
| Washington St | 2 |
| 11Th St | 1 |
| 12Th St | 1 |
Bismarck at a glance
| Population | 77,772 |
| Land area | 34.7 sq mi |
| Density | 2,242 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Burleigh 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 | 13 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 8 | -35% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 25 | +207% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 24 | -4% | 1.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 13 a year in the 1990s and 24 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bismarck
How many truck accidents are there in Bismarck?
Burleigh County has had 284 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 97 people and killing 9.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Bismarck?
The worst month is March: 12.0% of truck crashes in Burleigh County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bismarck?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Burleigh County since 2015, 0.7% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Bismarck compared with North Dakota?
Burleigh County records 24.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 73.9 across North Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Bismarck?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2020; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.