Athens, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Athens: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Athens and Williams County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Williams County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 677 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Williams County compares with North Dakota
Williams County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Williams County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Williams County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 158.4 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 2.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.33 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 29.8% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 13% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.4% | 22.7% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.0% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 25% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.5% | 47.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.3% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with North Dakota, Williams County is lower on 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 garbage-truck share.
Athens at a glance: US-2 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Athens: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Williams County has recorded 677 truck crashes since 2015, with 234 people injured and 38 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Athens since 2015, this page uses Williams County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
79% of truck crash reports in Williams County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 11.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.5% of truck crashes, vs 47.2% for North Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (7.4%).
Road surface: 29.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Dakota: 34.4%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-2 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). After it: 69th St (1) and Sr-Hwy 2 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 1.0% of the total, against 0.9% across North Dakota.
Route planning tips for Athens fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-2; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 2020 and 2021, 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 Williams County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 4 |
| 69th St | 1 |
| Sr-Hwy 2 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Williams County) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 11 |
| 151St Ave Nw | 11 |
| 153Rd Ave Nw | 4 |
| 134Th Ave Nw | 3 |
| 71St St Nw | 3 |
| US-85 | 3 |
| 115Th Ave Nw | 2 |
| 11Th St | 2 |
Athens at a glance
| Population | 44 |
| Land area | 35.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58801) | $84,702 |
| Median home value (ZIP 58801) | $297,845 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Williams 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 | 5 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 4 | -14% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 79 | +1653% | 4.4 |
| 2020s | 52 | -35% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 5 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 52. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Athens
How many truck accidents are there in Athens?
Williams County has had 677 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 234 people and killing 38.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Athens?
US-2 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Athens since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Athens?
July has the most truck crashes in Williams County, 11.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Athens?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Williams County since 2015, 1.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Athens compare with North Dakota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Williams County has 158.4 truck crashes a year; North Dakota has 73.9.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Athens?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2020 and 2021; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.