Tea, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Tea: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Tea 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. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
Tea at a glance: I-29 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Tea: 2 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 219 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lincoln County since 2015: 29 people were injured and 9 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 20 days in fully reported years.
Tea had 5 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lincoln County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 11.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.2% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 11.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.4% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in 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 and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 1.8% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Tea fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-29; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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 |
Tea at a glance
| Population | 7,699 |
| Land area | 3.8 sq mi |
| Density | 2,033 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57064) | $119,022 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57064) | $366,509 |
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. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Tea
How many truck accidents are there in Tea?
219 truck crashes have been reported in Lincoln County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 29 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Tea?
I-29 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Tea since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Tea?
The worst month is October: 11.9% of truck crashes in Lincoln County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Tea?
Since 2015, Lincoln County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.8% of its truck crashes.
How does Tea compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Lincoln County records 23.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Tea?
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.