Belle Fourche, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Belle Fourche: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Belle Fourche and Lawrence County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lawrence County numbers.
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% share of truck crashes in rain, sleet or snow (South Dakota: 17.5%).
Overview
Police reported 124 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lawrence County since 2015: 19 people were injured and 6 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 34 days.
Belle Fourche had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lawrence County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.3% of the year) and are lowest in June (4.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 50.0% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (12.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 33.1% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Belle Fourche since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-34 (1) and US-85 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 2.4%, compared with 1.6% in South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Belle Fourche fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lawrence County.
- With 33.1% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above South Dakota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Lawrence County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-34 | 1 |
| US-85 | 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 |
Belle Fourche at a glance
| Population | 5,855 |
| Land area | 9.0 sq mi |
| Density | 650 per sq mi |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Belle Fourche
How many truck crashes happen in Belle Fourche?
Since 2015, 124 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lawrence County (19 injured, 6 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Belle Fourche?
January has the most truck crashes in Lawrence County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Belle Fourche?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lawrence County since 2015, 2.4% of all truck crashes.
How does Belle Fourche compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Lawrence County records 37.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Belle Fourche?
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.