Sawyer, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sawyer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sawyer and Ward County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ward County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 308 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Ward County compares with North Dakota
Ward County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ward County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ward County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.6 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 45% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.33 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.2% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 27% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.8% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 64% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.2% | 47.2% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 17.3% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 30% below the state |
Ward County has lower values than North Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Ward County at a glance: August 12.7% of truck crashes happen in August, more than any other month.
Overview
Ward County has recorded 308 truck crashes since 2015, with 146 people injured and 16 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 13 days.
Only 3 truck crashes were reported in Sawyer since 2015; patterns below come from Ward County as a whole.
72% of truck crash reports in Ward County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (12.7% of the year) and are lowest in October (5.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.2% of truck crashes, vs 47.2% for North Dakota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 10.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.2% of truck crashes, compared with 34.4% in North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Sawyer since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 1.0%, compared with 0.9% in North Dakota.
Route planning tips for Sawyer fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Ward County.
- Morning starts matter: 25.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than North Dakota.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Crash reporting for 2020 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Ward County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ward County) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 7 |
| US-83 | 4 |
| 128Th Ave Nw | 3 |
| 13Th Ave Se | 3 |
| 27Th St Se | 2 |
| US-52 | 2 |
| - Rd | 1 |
| 100Th St Sw | 1 |
Sawyer at a glance
| Population | 308 |
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Density | 627 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58781) | $97,778 |
| Median home value (ZIP 58781) | $288,819 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ward 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 | 14 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 8 | -42% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 33 | +308% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 27 | -17% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 14 to 27. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sawyer
How common are truck crashes in Sawyer?
Ward County has had 308 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 146 people and killing 16.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Sawyer?
Truck crashes in Ward County peak in August, with 12.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Sawyer?
Since 2015, Ward County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Sawyer compare with North Dakota?
Ward County records 40.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 73.9 across North Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Sawyer?
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.