Cottonwood Town, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cottonwood Town: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cottonwood Town and Pennington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Pennington County numbers.
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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 |
Compared with South Dakota, Pennington County is lower on 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.
What stands out in Pennington County: 1 in 41 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.4%, against 1.6% for South Dakota.
Overview
Police reported 399 crashes involving commercial trucks in Pennington County since 2015: 38 people were injured and 11 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Cottonwood Town since 2015; patterns below come from Pennington County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 11.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is February at 5.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.2% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for South Dakota.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 8.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 28.8% of truck crashes, compared with 28.6% in South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Cottonwood.
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 Cottonwood Town fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Pennington County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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
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 (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 |
Cottonwood Town at a glance
| Population | 10 |
| Land area | 0.9 sq mi |
| Density | 11 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57775) | $77,750 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cottonwood Town
How many truck crashes happen in Cottonwood Town?
399 truck crashes have been reported in Pennington County since 2015, with 11 deaths and 38 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cottonwood Town?
The worst month is January: 11.8% of truck crashes in Pennington County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Cottonwood Town?
10 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Pennington County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Cottonwood Town compared with South Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, Pennington County has 29.1 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cottonwood Town?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.