Mountain Plains, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mountain Plains: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mountain Plains 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). Where it is higher: injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Lawrence County: 31.4% of truck crashes happen in rain, sleet or snow, vs 17.5% in South Dakota.
Overview
Police reported 124 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lawrence County since 2015: 19 people were injured and 6 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 34 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Mountain Plains since 2015, this page uses Lawrence County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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%).
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 Mountain Plains since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-GOBBLER Rd (1) and SR-34 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
3 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (South Dakota: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Mountain Plains fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 33.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above South Dakota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-GOBBLER Rd | 1 |
| SR-34 | 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 |
Mountain Plains at a glance
| Land area | 1.6 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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 12. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Mountain Plains
How many truck crashes happen in Mountain Plains?
124 truck crashes have been reported in Lawrence County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 19 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Mountain Plains?
Truck crashes in Lawrence County peak in January, with 11.3% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Mountain Plains?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lawrence County since 2015, 2.4% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Mountain Plains compared with South Dakota?
The yearly rate is 37.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lawrence County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Mountain Plains?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.