Hopper, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Hopper: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Hopper and Aurora County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Aurora County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 68 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Aurora County compares with South Dakota
Aurora County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Aurora County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Aurora County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 214.7 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 5.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 9.2 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.06 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 54% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 52.3% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 4.6% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 79% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.6% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 66.1% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 1.4× the state |
| After dark | 36.9% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1.6× the state |
Aurora County sits below South Dakota on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above South Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Aurora County: March the month with the most truck crashes: 23.5% of the year's total.
Overview
Police reported 68 crashes involving commercial trucks in Aurora County since 2015: 7 people were injured and 6 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 62 days.
Hopper had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Aurora County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (23.5% of the year) and are lowest in July (1.5%).
November through March accounts for 66.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.8% in South Dakota.
By time of day, 4–5 pm stands out with 10.3% of truck crashes.
52.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 28.6% across South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Hopper since 2015 were spread across roads: I-90 (1) and SR-258 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Aurora County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Hopper fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Aurora County.
- 52.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above South Dakota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Aurora County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 1 |
| SR-258 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Aurora County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 44 |
| US-281 | 14 |
| Ave | 3 |
| Old Hwy 16 | 2 |
| Sd Hwy 258 | 1 |
Hopper at a glance
| Population | 65 |
| Land area | 36.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57368) | $74,688 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57368) | $185,308 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Aurora 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 | 6 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 5 | -22% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 5 | -6% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 8 | +60% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 8 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Hopper
How many truck accidents are there in Hopper?
68 truck crashes have been reported in Aurora County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 7 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Hopper?
March has the most truck crashes in Aurora County, 23.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Hopper?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Aurora County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How does Hopper compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Aurora County records 214.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Hopper?
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.