Pennington County, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pennington 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
10 of 399 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pennington County compares with South Dakota
Pennington County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pennington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pennington County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.1 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 42% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.10 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.4% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 28.8% | 28.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.0% | 22.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.0% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.2% | 48.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.2% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Pennington County has lower values than South Dakota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
Pennington County at a glance: 1 in 41 crashes involve a garbage truck (10 since 2015), vs 1.6% across South Dakota.
Overview
Police reported 399 crashes involving commercial trucks in Pennington County since 2015: 38 people were injured and 11 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.8% of the year) and are lowest in February (5.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.2% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (8.8%).
Road surface: 28.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
I-90 leads in Pennington County with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-16 (2), 5th St (1) and CR-HWY 14-16 E (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 10 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Pennington County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-90 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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 Pennington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Pennington County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 3 |
| US-16 | 2 |
| 5th St | 1 |
| CR-HWY 14-16 E | 1 |
| Elk Vale Rd | 1 |
| SR-44 | 1 |
| SR-79 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pennington County) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 194 |
| US-16 | 39 |
| Sd Hwy 44 | 26 |
| Sd Hwy 79 | 16 |
| Ave | 7 |
| Sd Hwy 445 | 7 |
| Us Hwy 16 B | 5 |
| Cambell St | 4 |
Pennington County at a glance
| Population | 115,979 |
| Land area | 2,776.8 sq mi |
| Density | 42 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $74,368 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pennington 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 | 23 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 24 | +2% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 25 | +5% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 42 | +67% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 23 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 42. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Pennington County
ZIP codes in Pennington County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Pennington County
How common are truck crashes in Pennington County?
Pennington County has had 399 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 38 people and killing 11.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Pennington County?
NHTSA data shows I-90 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes in Pennington County since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Pennington County?
January has the most truck crashes in Pennington County, 11.8% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Pennington County?
Since 2015, Pennington County has reported 10 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Pennington County compared with South Dakota?
Pennington County records 29.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 42.0 across South Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Pennington 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.