McKenzie County, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in McKenzie 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
4 of 835 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How McKenzie County compares with North Dakota
McKenzie County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McKenzie County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | McKenzie County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 587.7 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 8.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.6 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.33 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 53% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.4% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 12% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.6% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.4% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 17% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.3% | 47.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.2% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
McKenzie County has lower values than North Dakota for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for McKenzie County: 1 in 233 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.4%, vs 0.9% in North Dakota.
Overview
Since 2015, 835 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in McKenzie County. They injured 287 people and killed 55.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 47.3% of truck crashes, against 47.2% across North Dakota.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
30.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 34.4% across North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-23 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (12). After it: US-85 (9), SR-22 (3) and CR-53 Bear Den Rd (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 0.5% of the total, against 0.9% across North Dakota.
Route planning tips for McKenzie County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-23 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 25.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above North Dakota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 2021, 2023 and 2025, 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 McKenzie County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in McKenzie County) |
|---|---|
| SR-23 | 12 |
| US-85 | 9 |
| SR-22 | 3 |
| CR-53 Bear Den Rd | 2 |
| SR-85 | 2 |
| US-23 | 2 |
| CR-154TH Ave Nw | 1 |
| CR-18TH St Nw | 1 |
| CR-20TH St Nw | 1 |
| CR-37TH St Nw Cr 29 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McKenzie County) |
|---|---|
| US-85 | 6 |
| 38Th St Nw | 4 |
| SR-23 | 4 |
| 103Rd Ave Nw | 3 |
| 34Th St Nw | 3 |
| 35Th St Nw | 3 |
| 148Th M Ave Nw | 2 |
| 18Th St Nw | 2 |
McKenzie County at a glance
| Population | 14,782 |
| Land area | 2,760.1 sq mi |
| Density | 5 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $102,481 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McKenzie 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 | 3 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 5 | +80% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 119 | +2106% | 8.0 |
| 2020s | 61 | -49% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 61. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 5.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in McKenzie County
ZIP codes in McKenzie County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about McKenzie County
How common are truck crashes in McKenzie County?
McKenzie County has had 835 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 287 people and killing 55.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in McKenzie County?
NHTSA data shows SR-23 with 12 fatal large-truck crashes in McKenzie County since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in McKenzie County?
The worst month is January: 11.9% of truck crashes in McKenzie County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in McKenzie County?
Since 2015, McKenzie County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in McKenzie County compared with North Dakota?
McKenzie County records 587.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 73.9 across North Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in McKenzie County?
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 2021, 2023 and 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.