Howard Township, Meade County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Howard Township, Meade County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Howard Township, Meade County 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 stands out for higher 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.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 31 days.
Howard Township, Meade County had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Meade County numbers.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 15.7% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 51.1% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across 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 Howard.
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 Howard Township, Meade County fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Meade County.
- 25.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above South Dakota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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
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 |
Howard Township, Meade County at a glance
| Population | 18 |
| Land area | 34.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1 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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 6 a year in the 1990s and 14 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Howard Township, Meade County
How many truck crashes happen in Howard Township, Meade County?
Since 2015, 140 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Meade County (14 injured, 7 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Howard Township, Meade County?
Truck crashes in Meade County peak in December, with 15.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Howard Township, Meade County?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Meade County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Howard Township, Meade County compare with South Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, Meade County has 38.5 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Howard Township, Meade County?
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.