Harrisburg, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Harrisburg: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Harrisburg 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 sits below South Dakota on 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 Harrisburg: I-29 deadliest road: 2 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Harrisburg since 2015.
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.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Harrisburg since 2015; patterns below come from Lincoln County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 11.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.5%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.2% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (11.4%).
25.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 28.6% across South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-29 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). Next come 276th St (1), CR-270TH St (1) and CR-273RD St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 1.8%, compared with 1.6% in South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Harrisburg fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lincoln County.
- Look at alternatives to I-29 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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 Lincoln County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 2 |
| 276th St | 1 |
| CR-270TH St | 1 |
| CR-273RD St | 1 |
| E 26th St | 1 |
| I-229 | 1 |
| SR-11 | 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 |
Harrisburg at a glance
| Population | 10,203 |
| Land area | 4.8 sq mi |
| Density | 2,139 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57032) | $111,528 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57032) | $330,290 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 26. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Harrisburg
How many truck accidents are there in Harrisburg?
Lincoln County has had 219 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 29 people and killing 9.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Harrisburg?
NHTSA data shows I-29 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Harrisburg since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Harrisburg?
Truck crashes in Lincoln County peak in October, with 11.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Harrisburg?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lincoln County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Harrisburg compare with South Dakota?
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 Harrisburg?
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.