Stratford, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Stratford: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Stratford 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.7%, vs 1.6% in South Dakota.
Overview
Since 2015, 115 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Brown County. They injured 14 people and killed 6.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 38 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Stratford since 2015, this page uses Brown County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 12.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 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
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Stratford.
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 Stratford fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Stratford at a glance
| Population | 59 |
| Land area | 0.2 sq mi |
| Density | 236 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57474) | $100,833 |
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 crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Stratford
How many truck accidents are there in Stratford?
115 truck crashes have been reported in Brown County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 14 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Stratford?
The worst month is October: 12.2% of truck crashes in Brown County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Stratford?
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 Stratford compared with South Dakota?
The yearly rate is 25.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Brown County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Stratford?
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.