Chamberlain, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chamberlain: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chamberlain and Brule County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Brule County numbers.
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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Brule County at a glance: December 20.4% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Brule County has recorded 54 truck crashes since 2015, with 5 people injured and 1 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 82 days.
With 3 truck crashes reported in Chamberlain since 2015, this page uses Brule County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (20.4% of the year) and are lowest in September (1.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 59.2% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 13.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 44.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Chamberlain.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 1.9% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Chamberlain fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Brule County.
- 44.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above South Dakota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Brule 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 (Brule County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 42 |
| Sd Hwy 50 | 6 |
| Sd Hwy 45 | 2 |
| 355Th Ave. | 1 |
| Ave | 1 |
Chamberlain at a glance
| Population | 2,453 |
| Land area | 4.5 sq mi |
| Density | 548 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 4. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chamberlain
How many truck crashes happen in Chamberlain?
Since 2015, 54 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Brule County (5 injured, 1 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Chamberlain?
The worst month is December: 20.4% of truck crashes in Brule County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Chamberlain?
Since 2015, Brule County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 1.9% of its truck crashes.
How does Chamberlain compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 84.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Brule County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Chamberlain?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.