Delaware, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Delaware: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Delaware and Lincoln County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lincoln County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 219 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lincoln County compares with South Dakota
Lincoln County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lincoln County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lincoln County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.8 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 43% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.6 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.12 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.4% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 11% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.3% | 22.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.3% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 22.3% | 22.8% | 24.8% | same |
Lincoln County has lower values than South Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above South Dakota on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Lincoln County: October the month with the most truck crashes: 11.9% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 219 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lincoln County. They injured 29 people and killed 9.
That averages about one truck crash every 20 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Delaware since 2015, this page uses Lincoln County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (11.9% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.5%).
November through March accounts for 44.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.8% in South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (11.4%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.4% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Delaware happened on I-29 (2) and 294th St (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Delaware fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 Lincoln County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 2 |
| 294th St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lincoln County) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 124 |
| US-18 | 11 |
| Ave | 8 |
| E Gateway Blvd | 4 |
| Sd Hwy 17 | 4 |
| I-229 | 3 |
| S Louise Ave | 3 |
| Sd Hwy 11 | 3 |
Delaware at a glance
| Population | 208 |
| Land area | 35.9 sq mi |
| Density | 6 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57021) | $76,488 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57021) | $113,223 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lincoln 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 | 6 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 10 | +58% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 11 | +6% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 26 | +138% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 26 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Delaware
How many truck crashes happen in Delaware?
Since 2015, 219 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lincoln County (29 injured, 9 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Delaware?
Truck crashes in Lincoln County peak in October, with 11.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Delaware?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lincoln County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
How does Delaware compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Lincoln County has 23.8 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Delaware?
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.