Watford City, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watford City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watford City 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
McKenzie County has recorded 835 truck crashes since 2015, with 287 people injured and 55 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 4 days.
Only 68 truck crashes were reported in Watford City since 2015; patterns below come from McKenzie County as a whole.
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
January has the most truck crashes, 11.9% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.0%).
November through March accounts for 47.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 47.2% in North Dakota.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 30.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Dakota: 34.4%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Watford City since 2015: SR-23 (2), US-85 (2), Meadowlark Ct (1) and US-23 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 0.5%, compared with 0.9% in North Dakota.
Route planning tips for Watford City fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 25.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above North Dakota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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 | 2 |
| US-85 | 2 |
| Meadowlark Ct | 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 |
Watford City at a glance
| Population | 6,207 |
| Land area | 8.9 sq mi |
| Density | 696 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58854) | $99,000 |
| Median home value (ZIP 58854) | $374,628 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 3 a year in the 1990s and 61 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 5.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Watford City
How many truck accidents are there in Watford City?
Since 2015, 835 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in McKenzie County (287 injured, 55 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Watford City?
January has the most truck crashes in McKenzie County, 11.9% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Watford City?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in McKenzie County since 2015 (0.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Watford City compare with North Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, McKenzie County has 587.7 truck crashes a year; North Dakota has 73.9.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Watford City?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
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.