Elm Tree, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elm Tree: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elm Tree and McKenzie County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McKenzie County numbers.
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 sits below North Dakota on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above North Dakota on 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.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Elm Tree since 2015, this page uses McKenzie County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
85% of truck crash reports in McKenzie County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
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.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (8.7%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 30.4% of truck crashes, compared with 34.4% in North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
SR-23 leads within 10 miles of Elm Tree with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-1804 (2), CR-SAND Creek Rd (1) and US-23 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.5% share (North Dakota: 0.9%).
Route planning tips for Elm Tree fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-23; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 25.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than North Dakota.
- 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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-23 | 4 |
| SR-1804 | 2 |
| CR-SAND Creek Rd | 1 |
| US-23 | 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 |
Elm Tree at a glance
| Population | 68 |
| Land area | 39.0 sq mi |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58794) | $97,500 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elm Tree
How common are truck crashes in Elm Tree?
McKenzie County has had 835 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 287 people and killing 55.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Elm Tree?
SR-23 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Elm Tree since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Elm Tree?
January has the most truck crashes in McKenzie County, 11.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Elm Tree?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in McKenzie County since 2015, 0.5% of all truck crashes.
How does Elm Tree compare with North Dakota for truck crashes?
McKenzie County records 587.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 73.9 across North Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Elm Tree?
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.