Prairie Center Township, Clay County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Prairie Center Township, Clay County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Prairie Center 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 |
Clay County has lower values than South Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Clay County: 1 in 18 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 5.5%, vs 1.6% in South Dakota.
Overview
Clay County has recorded 56 truck crashes since 2015, with 9 people injured and 3 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 73 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Prairie Center Township, Clay County since 2015; patterns below come from Clay County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (21.4% of the year) and are lowest in July (0.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 34.5% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 14.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 7.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Prairie Center since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-50 (2) and SR-19 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 5.4% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Prairie Center Township, Clay County fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 34.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than South Dakota.
- 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 Clay County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-50 | 2 |
| 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 |
Prairie Center Township, Clay County at a glance
| Population | 192 |
| Land area | 36.1 sq mi |
| Density | 5 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57010) | $93,611 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57010) | $352,428 |
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. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Prairie Center Township, Clay County
How many truck accidents are there in Prairie Center Township, Clay County?
Since 2015, 56 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Clay County (9 injured, 3 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Prairie Center Township, Clay County?
August has the most truck crashes in Clay County, 21.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Prairie Center Township, Clay County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Clay County since 2015 (5.4% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Prairie Center Township, Clay County compared with South Dakota?
The yearly rate is 32.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Clay County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Prairie Center Township, Clay County?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.