Richland, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Richland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Richland and Union County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Union County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 188 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Union County compares with South Dakota
Union County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Union County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Union County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 90.4 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 2.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.6 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.09 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 31% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.6% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 64% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 37.6% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.7% | 22.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 27.2% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 56.1% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 28.3% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Union County has lower values than South Dakota for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Union County: December 16.0% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 188 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Union County. They injured 17 people and killed 8.
That averages about one truck crash every 23 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Richland since 2015, this page uses Union County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 16.0% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (2.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 56.1% of truck crashes, against 48.8% across South Dakota.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 10.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 37.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (South Dakota: 28.6%).
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Richland since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.5% share (South Dakota: 1.6%).
Route planning tips for Richland fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 37.6% of truck crashes here, more than South Dakota; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Union 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 (Union County) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 139 |
| Sd Hwy 50 | 10 |
| Sd Hwy 46 | 8 |
| Ave | 6 |
| N Derby Ln | 4 |
| Sd Hwy 48 | 3 |
| River Dr | 2 |
| First St | 1 |
Richland at a glance
| Land area | 5.6 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57025) | $94,839 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57025) | $239,870 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Union 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 | 11 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 10 | -4% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 13 | +28% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 18 | +36% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 11 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 18. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Richland
How common are truck crashes in Richland?
Since 2015, 188 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Union County (17 injured, 8 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Richland?
The worst month is December: 16.0% of truck crashes in Union County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Richland?
Since 2015, Union County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.5% of its truck crashes.
How does Richland compare with South Dakota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 90.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Union County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Richland?
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.