Elma, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elma: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elma and Richland County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Richland County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 176 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Richland County compares with North Dakota
Richland County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Richland County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Richland County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 90.0 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.6 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 85% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.33 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.6% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 33% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 34.5% | 34.4% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 22.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.4% | 16.2% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 47.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.9% | 24.7% | 24.8% | same |
Richland County has lower values than North Dakota for deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and injuries per crash.
Richland County at a glance: October the month with the most truck crashes: 18.8% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 176 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Richland County. They injured 71 people and killed 1.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 24 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Elma since 2015, this page uses Richland County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
73% of truck crash reports in Richland County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (18.8% of the year) and are lowest in March (4.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.2% of truck crashes, vs 47.2% for North Dakota.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 10.3% of truck crashes.
34.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 34.4% across North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Elma since 2015: I-29 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.6% share (North Dakota: 0.9%).
Route planning tips for Elma fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Richland County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Richland County) |
|---|---|
| 161St Ave Se | 2 |
| 169Th Ave Se | 2 |
| 87Th St Se | 2 |
| SR-18 | 2 |
| Se 92Nd St | 2 |
| 152Nd Ave Se | 1 |
| 178Th Ave Se | 1 |
| 182Nd Ave Se | 1 |
Elma at a glance
| Population | 75 |
| Land area | 35.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58041) | $85,368 |
| Median home value (ZIP 58041) | $160,659 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Richland 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 | 7 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 5 | -37% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 12 | +153% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 15 | +29% | 0.0 |
In the 1990s about 7 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 15. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elma
How many truck accidents are there in Elma?
Richland County has had 176 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 71 people and killing 1.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Elma?
The worst month is October: 18.8% of truck crashes in Richland County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Elma?
Since 2015, Richland County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Elma compare with North Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, Richland County has 90.0 truck crashes a year; North Dakota has 73.9.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Elma?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.