Palatine, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Palatine: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Palatine 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 has lower values than South Dakota for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Aurora County at a glance: March worst month: 23.5% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Aurora County has recorded 68 truck crashes since 2015, with 7 people injured and 6 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 62 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Palatine since 2015; patterns below come from Aurora County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 23.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 1.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 66.1% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, 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
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Palatine happened on I-90 (1) and SR-258 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Aurora County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Palatine fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- With 52.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above South Dakota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
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 |
Palatine at a glance
| Population | 68 |
| Land area | 36.8 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 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 8. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Palatine
How common are truck crashes in Palatine?
Since 2015, 68 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Aurora County (7 injured, 6 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Palatine?
The worst month is March: 23.5% of truck crashes in Aurora County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Palatine?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Aurora County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How does Palatine 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.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Palatine?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.