Summit Township, Lake County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Summit Township, Lake County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Summit Township, Lake County and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 35 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Lake County compares with South Dakota
Lake County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 26.4 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 37% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 40% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 1.7× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.6% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 45% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.2% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 64% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 21.9% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 55% below the state |
| After dark | 3.1% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 86% below the state |
Compared with South Dakota, Lake County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above South Dakota on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Lake County: July 25.7% of truck crashes happen in July, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 35 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lake County. They injured 7 people and killed 1.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 125 days.
Summit Township, Lake County had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lake County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 25.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 2.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 21.9% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 20.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Summit since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 2.9% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Summit Township, Lake County fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 28.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above South Dakota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Lake 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 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| Sd Hwy 34 | 9 |
| Ave | 7 |
| US-81 | 5 |
| Sd Hwy 19 | 3 |
| SR-34 | 1 |
| Se 4Th St | 1 |
Summit Township, Lake County at a glance
| Population | 187 |
| Land area | 35.0 sq mi |
| Density | 5 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57050) | $116,563 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57050) | $275,843 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | +14% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 3 | +45% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 2 | -20% | 0.0 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 2. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Summit Township, Lake County
How many truck accidents are there in Summit Township, Lake County?
Lake County has had 35 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 7 people and killing 1.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Summit Township, Lake County?
July has the most truck crashes in Lake County, 25.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Summit Township, Lake County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Lake County since 2015 (2.9% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Summit Township, Lake County compared with South Dakota?
Lake County records 26.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Summit Township, Lake 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.