Carl, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Carl: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Carl and McPherson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McPherson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 30 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How McPherson County compares with South Dakota
McPherson County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McPherson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McPherson County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 98.5 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 2.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.0 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.08 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 38% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.0% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 58% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.0% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 4.0% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 77% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 18% below the state |
| After dark | 20.0% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 12% below the state |
Compared with South Dakota, McPherson 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.
McPherson County at a glance: October worst month: 20.0% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Police reported 30 crashes involving commercial trucks in McPherson County since 2015: 2 people were injured and 1 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 161 days.
Carl had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use McPherson County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 20.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 0.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.0% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 10.0% of truck crashes.
12.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 28.6% across South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Carl.
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for McPherson County.
Route planning tips for Carl fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in McPherson County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 McPherson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (McPherson County) |
|---|---|
| Sd Hwy 10 | 8 |
| Ave | 6 |
| Sd Hwy 247 | 6 |
| Sd Hwy 45 | 6 |
| County 8 | 1 |
Carl at a glance
| Population | 29 |
| Land area | 35.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57481) | $68,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57481) | $194,240 |
Historical data: truck crashes in McPherson 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 | 1 | — | 0.0 |
| 2000s | 1 | -25% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 2 | +80% | 0.0 |
| 2020s | 2 | +30% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1 to 2. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Carl
How common are truck crashes in Carl?
Since 2015, 30 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in McPherson County (2 injured, 1 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Carl?
The worst month is October: 20.0% of truck crashes in McPherson County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Carl?
Since 2015, McPherson County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Carl compared with South Dakota?
The yearly rate is 98.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in McPherson County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Carl?
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.