Mellette, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Mellette: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Mellette and Spink County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Spink County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 47 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Spink County compares with South Dakota
Spink County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Spink County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Spink County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 68.5 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 2.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.4% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 39% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.4% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 22% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 50% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.6% | 48.8% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.4% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Spink County has lower values than South Dakota for deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Spink County at a glance: October the month with the most truck crashes: 17.0% of the year's total.
Overview
Spink County has recorded 47 truck crashes since 2015, with 15 people injured and 2 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 87 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Mellette since 2015, this page uses Spink County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 17.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 2.1%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.6% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 12.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 17.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Mellette.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 2.1% of the total, against 1.6% across South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Mellette fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Spink 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 (Spink County) |
|---|---|
| US-281 | 18 |
| Sd Hwy 37 | 7 |
| US-212 | 6 |
| Sd Hwy 20 | 3 |
| Ave | 2 |
| Sd Hwy 26 | 2 |
| 183Rd St | 1 |
| 1St St | 1 |
Mellette at a glance
| Population | 193 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 754 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57461) | $105,536 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Spink 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 | 5 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 3 | -35% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 6 | +71% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 4 | -25% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 5 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 4. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Mellette
How common are truck crashes in Mellette?
Spink County has had 47 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 15 people and killing 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Mellette?
Truck crashes in Spink County peak in October, with 17.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Mellette?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Spink County since 2015, 2.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Mellette compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 68.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Spink County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Mellette?
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.