Piedmont, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Piedmont: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Piedmont 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 |
Compared with South Dakota, Meade County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark.
The headline for 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 31 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Piedmont 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.
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
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Piedmont since 2015: I-90 (2). 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 Piedmont 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
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 2 |
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 |
Piedmont at a glance
| Population | 1,002 |
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Density | 618 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 Piedmont
How many truck accidents are there in Piedmont?
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 Piedmont?
Truck crashes in Meade County peak in December, with 15.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Piedmont?
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 Piedmont 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 can I plan a safer truck route in Piedmont?
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.