Aberdeen, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Aberdeen: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Aberdeen and Brown County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Brown County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 115 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Brown County compares with South Dakota
Brown County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Brown County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Brown County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.7 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 39% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.7% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 2.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.1% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 51% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.6% | 22.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.4% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 46% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.1% | 48.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.1% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 34% below the state |
Compared with South Dakota, Brown County is lower on 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 and garbage-truck share.
Brown County at a glance: 1 in 21 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.7%, against 1.6% for South Dakota.
Overview
Since 2015, 115 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Brown County. They injured 14 people and killed 6.
That averages about one truck crash every 38 days in fully reported years.
Only 23 truck crashes were reported in Aberdeen since 2015; patterns below come from Brown County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (12.2% of the year) and are lowest in May (4.3%).
November through March accounts for 48.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.8% in South Dakota.
By time of day, 4–5 pm stands out with 11.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 14.1% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Aberdeen since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-123RD St (1), CR-379TH Ave (1) and US-281 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 4.3% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Aberdeen fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Brown County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Brown County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-123RD St | 1 |
| CR-379TH Ave | 1 |
| US-281 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Brown County) |
|---|---|
| US-12 | 46 |
| US-281 | 17 |
| Ave | 12 |
| Sd Hwy 37 | 10 |
| Sd Hwy 10 | 5 |
| 5Th St | 2 |
| 10Th Ave Sw Sw | 1 |
| 412Th Ave. | 1 |
Aberdeen at a glance
| Population | 27,919 |
| Land area | 16.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,685 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Brown 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 | 8 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 9 | +11% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 11 | +22% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 10 | -16% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 10 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Aberdeen
How common are truck crashes in Aberdeen?
Since 2015, 115 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Brown County (14 injured, 6 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Aberdeen?
Truck crashes in Brown County peak in October, with 12.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Aberdeen?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Brown County since 2015 (4.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Aberdeen compared with South Dakota?
Brown County records 25.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Aberdeen?
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.