Dakota, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dakota: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dakota 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 runs above South Dakota on morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
What stands out in Meade County: December the month with the most truck crashes: 15.7% of the year's total.
Overview
Meade County has recorded 140 truck crashes since 2015, with 14 people injured and 7 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 31 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Dakota since 2015; patterns below come from Meade County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 15.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 51.1% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 10.0% of truck crashes.
25.9% 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 Dakota.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.4% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Dakota fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Meade County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 25.2% of truck crashes here, more than South Dakota; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Meade 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 (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 |
Dakota at a glance
| Population | 31 |
| Land area | 120.9 sq mi |
| Density | 0 per sq mi |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 14. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Dakota
How many truck crashes happen in Dakota?
Meade County has had 140 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 14 people and killing 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Dakota?
December has the most truck crashes in Meade County, 15.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Dakota?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Meade County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Dakota compare with South Dakota?
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 Dakota?
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.