Brule County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Brule County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 54 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Brule County compares with South Dakota
Brule County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Brule County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Brule County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 84.7 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 62% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.10 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 44.9% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.4% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 17% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 28.6% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 59.2% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 26.5% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with South Dakota, Brule County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above South Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Brule County at a glance: December the month with the most truck crashes: 20.4% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 54 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Brule County. They injured 5 people and killed 1.
That averages about one truck crash every 82 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 20.4% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (1.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 59.2% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (13.0%).
44.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 28.6% across South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Brule County since 2015: I-90 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.9% share (South Dakota: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Brule County fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 44.9% 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 Brule County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Brule County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Brule County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 42 |
| Sd Hwy 50 | 6 |
| Sd Hwy 45 | 2 |
| 355Th Ave. | 1 |
| Ave | 1 |
Brule County at a glance
| Population | 5,261 |
| Land area | 817.2 sq mi |
| Density | 6 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $73,014 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Brule 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 | 2 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 4 | +91% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 5 | +17% | 0.0 |
| 2020s | 4 | -8% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 4 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Brule County
ZIP codes in Brule County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Brule County
How many truck crashes happen in Brule County?
54 truck crashes have been reported in Brule County since 2015, with 1 deaths and 5 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Brule County?
The worst month is December: 20.4% of truck crashes in Brule County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Brule County?
Since 2015, Brule County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 1.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Brule County compared with South Dakota?
The yearly rate is 84.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Brule County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Brule County?
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.