Chester Township, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chester Township: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chester Township and Douglas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Douglas County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 23 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Douglas County compares with South Dakota
Douglas County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Douglas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Douglas County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 70.2 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 13% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.18 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.3% | 28.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 9.1% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 59% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.6% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 22% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.0% | 48.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 13.6% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 40% below the state |
Compared with South Dakota, Douglas County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above South Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr and injuries per crash.
The headline for Douglas County: December the month with the most truck crashes: 30.4% of the year's total.
Overview
Douglas County has recorded 23 truck crashes since 2015, with 4 people injured and 1 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 182 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Chester Township since 2015; patterns below come from Douglas County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 30.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 0.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 50.0% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 21.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 27.3% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Chester since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Douglas County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Chester Township fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Douglas County.
- 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 Douglas 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 (Douglas County) |
|---|---|
| Sd Hwy 44 | 14 |
| US-281 | 4 |
| Ave | 2 |
| 281St St. | 1 |
Chester Township at a glance
| Population | 87 |
| Land area | 28.2 sq mi |
| Density | 3 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57313) | $89,107 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57313) | $119,882 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Douglas 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 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 1 | -51% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 2 | +36% | 0.0 |
| 2020s | 2 | +22% | 0.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 2. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chester Township
How many truck crashes happen in Chester Township?
Douglas County has had 23 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 4 people and killing 1.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Chester Township?
The worst month is December: 30.4% of truck crashes in Douglas County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Chester Township?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Douglas County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Chester Township compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Douglas County records 70.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Chester Township?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.