Mitchell, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mitchell: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mitchell and Davison County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Davison County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 96 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Davison County compares with South Dakota
Davison County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Davison County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Davison County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 40.6 | 42.0 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.1 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 79% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.15 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.3% | 28.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.2% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.5% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 56.2% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 25.8% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Davison County has lower values than South Dakota for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: injuries per crash, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Davison County: 0 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 1.6% across South Dakota.
Overview
Police reported 96 crashes involving commercial trucks in Davison County since 2015: 15 people were injured and 1 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 45 days.
Mitchell had 21 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Davison County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 14.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 3.1%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 56.2% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (12.5%).
30.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 28.6% across South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Mitchell happened on SR-37 (2), CR-247TH St (1) and I-90 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 2.1%, compared with 1.6% in South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Mitchell fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Davison County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-37 | 2 |
| CR-247TH St | 1 |
| I-90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Davison County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 38 |
| Sd Hwy 37 | 18 |
| Ave | 15 |
| Sd Hwy 38 | 2 |
| Sd Hwy 90 L | 2 |
| Cabela Dr | 1 |
| E 1St Ave | 1 |
| I-90E | 1 |
Mitchell at a glance
| Population | 15,621 |
| Land area | 11.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,353 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57301) | $65,620 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57301) | $209,976 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Davison 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 | 6 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 5 | -22% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 7 | +41% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 10 | +45% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 10. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Mitchell
How many truck crashes happen in Mitchell?
Davison County has had 96 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 15 people and killing 1.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Mitchell?
The worst month is December: 14.6% of truck crashes in Davison County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Mitchell?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Davison County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
How does Mitchell compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Davison County has 40.6 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Mitchell?
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.