Sterling, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sterling: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sterling and Brookings County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Brookings County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 157 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Brookings County compares with South Dakota
Brookings County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Brookings County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Brookings County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.0 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.7 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 48% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 16% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 28.4% | 28.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.3% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.5% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.3% | 48.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.9% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 26% below the state |
Brookings County has lower values than South Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: morning rush (6–10 am).
Brookings County at a glance: March 13.4% of truck crashes happen in March, more than any other month.
Overview
Brookings County has recorded 157 truck crashes since 2015, with 19 people injured and 5 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 27 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Sterling since 2015; patterns below come from Brookings County as a whole.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 13.4% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 49.3% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
By time of day, 9–10 am stands out with 12.1% of truck crashes.
28.4% 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 Sterling happened on US-14 (2) and I-29 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.3% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Sterling fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 24.3% of truck crashes here, more than South Dakota; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Brookings County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-14 | 2 |
| I-29 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Brookings County) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 54 |
| US-14 | 32 |
| Ave | 27 |
| Sd Hwy 324 | 4 |
| Us Hwy 14 B | 4 |
| 22Nd Ave | 3 |
| Sd Hwy 30 | 3 |
| 8Th St | 2 |
Sterling at a glance
| Population | 420 |
| Land area | 35.4 sq mi |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Brookings 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 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 7 | +29% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 11 | +58% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 16 | +43% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 16. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sterling
How many truck accidents are there in Sterling?
Brookings County has had 157 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 19 people and killing 5.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Sterling?
Truck crashes in Brookings County peak in March, with 13.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Sterling?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Brookings County since 2015 (1.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Sterling compared with South Dakota?
The yearly rate is 37.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Brookings County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Sterling?
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.