Garfield Township, Clay County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Garfield Township, Clay County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Garfield Township, Clay County and Clay County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Clay County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 56 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Clay County compares with South Dakota
Clay County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Clay County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Clay County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 32.8 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 22% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.5 | 5.2 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.15 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.5% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 3.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.3% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 75% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 34.5% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 1.6× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.3% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 59% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 34.5% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 29% below the state |
| After dark | 7.3% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 68% below the state |
Compared with South Dakota, Clay County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above South Dakota on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Clay County: 1 in 18 garbage-truck share of crashes is 5.5%, against 1.6% for South Dakota.
Overview
Police reported 56 crashes involving commercial trucks in Clay County since 2015: 9 people were injured and 3 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 73 days.
Garfield Township, Clay County had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Clay County numbers.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 21.4% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (0.0%).
November through March accounts for 34.5% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.8% in South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (14.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 7.3% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Garfield happened on SR-19 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
3 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.4% share (South Dakota: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Garfield Township, Clay County fleets
- Build extra time into August routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 34.5% of truck crashes here, more than South Dakota; adjust start times where you can.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Clay County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-19 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Clay County) |
|---|---|
| Sd Hwy 50 | 28 |
| Sd Hwy 46 | 9 |
| Sd Hwy 19 | 7 |
| Ave | 5 |
| Compton Ct | 1 |
| Timber Rd | 1 |
Garfield Township, Clay County at a glance
| Population | 199 |
| Land area | 36.0 sq mi |
| Density | 6 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57004) | $88,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57004) | $262,027 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Clay 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 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 6 | +200% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 4 | -37% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 5 | +40% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 5. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Garfield Township, Clay County
How common are truck crashes in Garfield Township, Clay County?
Clay County has had 56 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 9 people and killing 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Garfield Township, Clay County?
Truck crashes in Clay County peak in August, with 21.4% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Garfield Township, Clay County?
Since 2015, Clay County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 5.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Garfield Township, Clay County compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Clay County has 32.8 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Garfield Township, Clay County?
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.