Lawrence County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lawrence 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
3 of 124 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lawrence County compares with South Dakota
Lawrence County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lawrence County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lawrence County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.2 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 11% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.1 | 5.2 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.14 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 33.1% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 16.1% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 28% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 31.4% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.0% | 48.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.0% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Lawrence County has lower values than South Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above South Dakota on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Lawrence County: 31.4% of truck crashes happen in rain, sleet or snow, vs 17.5% in South Dakota.
Overview
Since 2015, 124 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lawrence County. They injured 19 people and killed 6.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 34 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.3% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (4.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 50.0% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (12.1%).
Road surface: 33.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Lawrence County is SR-34, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-GOBBLER Rd (1), I-90 (1) and US-14A (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 2.4% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Lawrence County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use SR-34, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 33.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above South Dakota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Lawrence County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Lawrence County) |
|---|---|
| SR-34 | 2 |
| CR-GOBBLER Rd | 1 |
| I-90 | 1 |
| US-14A | 1 |
| US-385 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lawrence County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 51 |
| US-85 | 21 |
| Sd Hwy 34 | 20 |
| Us Hwy 14 A | 5 |
| US-14A | 5 |
| 1St Ave | 2 |
| Whitewood Valley Rd | 2 |
| 12Th St | 1 |
Lawrence County at a glance
| Population | 28,809 |
| Land area | 800.1 sq mi |
| Density | 36 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $72,539 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lawrence 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 | 8 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 8 | +12% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 10 | +21% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 12 | +12% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 12. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Lawrence County
ZIP codes in Lawrence County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Lawrence County
How common are truck crashes in Lawrence County?
Since 2015, 124 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lawrence County (19 injured, 6 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Lawrence County?
Since 2015, SR-34 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Lawrence County: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Lawrence County?
The worst month is January: 11.3% of truck crashes in Lawrence County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lawrence County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Lawrence County since 2015 (2.4% of truck crashes).
How does Lawrence County compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Lawrence County has 37.2 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Lawrence 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.