Ashland Heights, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ashland Heights: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ashland Heights and Meade County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Meade County numbers.
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. It stands out for higher morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
What stands out in Meade County: December worst month: 15.7% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Police reported 140 crashes involving commercial trucks in Meade County since 2015: 14 people were injured and 7 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 31 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Ashland Heights since 2015, this page uses Meade County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 15.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 51.1% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (10.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.9% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
I-90 leads within 10 miles of Ashland Heights with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come 5th St (1), CR-HWY 14-16 E (1) and Elk Vale Rd (1).
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 Ashland Heights fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Meade County.
- Look at alternatives to I-90 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 25.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above South Dakota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Meade County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| 5th St | 1 |
| CR-HWY 14-16 E | 1 |
| Elk Vale Rd | 1 |
| SR-44 | 1 |
| US-16 | 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 |
Ashland Heights at a glance
| Land area | 2.9 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57706) | $57,162 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ashland Heights
How many truck crashes happen in Ashland Heights?
Since 2015, 140 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Meade County (14 injured, 7 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Ashland Heights?
Since 2015, I-90 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ashland Heights: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Ashland Heights?
December has the most truck crashes in Meade County, 15.7% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ashland Heights?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Meade County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ashland Heights compared with South Dakota?
Meade County records 38.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ashland Heights?
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.