Harding County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Harding County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 51 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Harding County compares with South Dakota
Harding County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Harding County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Harding County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 288.2 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 6.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.1 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.24 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 1.8× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 26.2% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 9% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.9% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 1.4× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.4% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.1% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 22% below the state |
| After dark | 11.9% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 48% below the state |
Harding County has lower values than South Dakota for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar). It runs above South Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Harding County: 0 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.0%, vs 1.6% in South Dakota.
Overview
Police reported 51 crashes involving commercial trucks in Harding County since 2015: 11 people were injured and 3 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 96 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (15.7% of the year) and are lowest in December (0.0%).
November through March accounts for 38.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.8% in South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 13.7% of truck crashes.
26.2% 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 in Harding County happened on SR-79 (2) and US-85 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Harding County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Harding County fleets
- Build extra time into June routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 30.9% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than South Dakota.
- 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 Harding County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Harding County) |
|---|---|
| SR-79 | 2 |
| US-85 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Harding County) |
|---|---|
| US-85 | 26 |
| Sd Hwy 79 | 22 |
| Cox Rd | 1 |
| Park Rd | 1 |
| Sd Hwy 20 | 1 |
Harding County at a glance
| Population | 1,325 |
| Land area | 2,671.6 sq mi |
| Density | 0 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $77,914 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Harding 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 | 2 | -3% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 6 | +241% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 3 | -54% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 3. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Harding County
ZIP codes in Harding County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Harding County
How common are truck crashes in Harding County?
51 truck crashes have been reported in Harding County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 11 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Harding County?
June has the most truck crashes in Harding County, 15.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Harding County?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Harding County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Harding County compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Harding County has 288.2 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Harding County?
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.