Red Lake, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Red Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Red Lake 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
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). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Brule County: December worst month: 20.4% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Police reported 54 crashes involving commercial trucks in Brule County since 2015: 5 people were injured and 1 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 82 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Red Lake since 2015; patterns below come from Brule County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 20.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 1.9%.
November through March accounts for 59.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.8% in South Dakota.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 13.0% of truck crashes.
44.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 28.6% across South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Red Lake since 2015 were spread across roads: I-90 (1).
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 Red Lake 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.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Red Lake at a glance
| Population | 81 |
| Land area | 30.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57370) | $58,824 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Red Lake
How many truck accidents are there in Red Lake?
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 Red Lake?
The worst month is December: 20.4% of truck crashes in Brule County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Red Lake?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Brule County since 2015, 1.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Red Lake compared with South Dakota?
Brule County records 84.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Red Lake?
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.