Leola, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Leola: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Leola 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.
What stands out in McPherson County: October worst month: 20.0% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
McPherson County has recorded 30 truck crashes since 2015, with 2 people injured and 1 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 161 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Leola since 2015; patterns below come from McPherson County as a whole.
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.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (10.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 12.0% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Leola.
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for McPherson County.
Route planning tips for Leola fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in McPherson County.
- 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 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 |
Leola at a glance
| Population | 406 |
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Density | 547 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57456) | $75,833 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57456) | $76,268 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Leola
How many truck crashes happen in Leola?
Since 2015, 30 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in McPherson County (2 injured, 1 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Leola?
Truck crashes in McPherson County peak in October, with 20.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Leola?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in McPherson County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How does Leola compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, McPherson County has 98.5 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Leola?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.