Spencer, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Spencer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Spencer and McCook County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McCook County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 120 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How McCook County compares with South Dakota
McCook County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McCook County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McCook County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 168.6 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 4.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 63% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.06 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 54% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 42% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 54.2% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 1.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.6% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 7% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.2% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 63.5% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 1.3× the state |
| After dark | 18.7% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 18% below the state |
Compared with South Dakota, McCook County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above South Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
McCook County at a glance: March the month with the most truck crashes: 22.5% of the year's total.
Overview
McCook County has recorded 120 truck crashes since 2015, with 8 people injured and 4 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 38 days.
Spencer had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use McCook County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 22.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 3.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 63.5% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 11.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 54.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Spencer since 2015: I-90 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.8% share (South Dakota: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Spencer fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 54.2% of truck crashes here, more than South Dakota; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 McCook County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McCook County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 74 |
| US-81 | 16 |
| Ave | 11 |
| Sd Hwy 42 | 7 |
| Sd Hwy 38 | 4 |
| Sd Hwy 262 | 3 |
Spencer at a glance
| Population | 136 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 507 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57374) | $79,167 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McCook 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 | 4 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 7 | +76% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 9 | +38% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 11 | +17% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 11. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Spencer
How many truck crashes happen in Spencer?
120 truck crashes have been reported in McCook County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 8 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Spencer?
March has the most truck crashes in McCook County, 22.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Spencer?
Since 2015, McCook County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.8% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Spencer compare with South Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, McCook County has 168.6 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Spencer?
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.