Meade County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Meade County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 140 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Meade County compares with South Dakota
Meade County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Meade County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Meade County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.5 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 8% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.3 | 5.2 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.08 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 38% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.8% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 53% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.9% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 9% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.7% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 22% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 51.1% | 48.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.2% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Meade County has lower values than South Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
Meade County at a glance: December 15.7% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 140 crashes involving commercial trucks in Meade County since 2015: 14 people were injured and 7 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 31 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (15.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (4.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 51.1% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (10.0%).
Road surface: 25.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Meade County since 2015: I-90 (3), SR-79 (3) and SR-34 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 1.6% in South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Meade County fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.2% of truck crashes here, more than South Dakota; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Meade County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Meade County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| SR-79 | 3 |
| SR-34 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Meade County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 77 |
| Sd Hwy 34 | 14 |
| Sd Hwy 79 | 8 |
| US-212 | 5 |
| Sd Hwy 73 | 5 |
| New Underwood Rd | 3 |
| Avalanche Rd | 2 |
| Elk Creek Rd | 2 |
Meade County at a glance
| Population | 30,918 |
| Land area | 3,470.9 sq mi |
| Density | 9 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $75,912 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Meade 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 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 10 | +58% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 10 | -2% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 14 | +46% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Meade County
ZIP codes in Meade County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Meade County
How common are truck crashes in Meade County?
Meade County has had 140 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 14 people and killing 7.
When do most truck crashes happen in Meade County?
Truck crashes in Meade County peak in December, with 15.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Meade County?
Since 2015, Meade County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
How does Meade County compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 38.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Meade County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Meade County?
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.