Yankton, SD truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Yankton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Yankton and Yankton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Yankton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 76 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Yankton County compares with South Dakota
Yankton County against South Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Yankton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Yankton County | South Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.5 | 42.0 | 49.7 | 39% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 9.1 | 5.2 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.15 | 0.13 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 1.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.6% | 28.6% | 6.2% | 74% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.7% | 22.2% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.1% | 17.5% | 13.8% | 65% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 33.3% | 48.8% | 41.9% | 32% below the state |
| After dark | 16.7% | 22.8% | 24.8% | 27% below the state |
Yankton County sits below South Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Yankton County: August 18.4% of truck crashes happen in August, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 76 crashes involving commercial trucks in Yankton County since 2015: 12 people were injured and 6 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 61 days in fully reported years.
With 26 truck crashes reported in Yankton since 2015, this page uses Yankton County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 18.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 0.0%.
November through March accounts for 33.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 48.8% in South Dakota.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 13.2% of truck crashes.
7.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 28.6% across South Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-81 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come SR-50 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 1.3%, compared with 1.6% in South Dakota.
Route planning tips for Yankton fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Yankton County.
- Check whether your routes use US-81, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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 Yankton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-81 | 4 |
| SR-50 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Yankton County) |
|---|---|
| US-81 | 22 |
| Sd Hwy 50 | 22 |
| Sd Hwy 46 | 8 |
| Ave | 6 |
| Sd Hwy 52 | 3 |
| 291St St | 1 |
| Bill Baggs Rd | 1 |
| Broadway Ave/Hwy 81 | 1 |
Yankton at a glance
| Population | 15,670 |
| Land area | 8.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,793 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 57078) | $71,268 |
| Median home value (ZIP 57078) | $234,550 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Yankton 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 | 4 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 7 | +92% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 5 | -22% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 6 | +14% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 6 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Yankton
How common are truck crashes in Yankton?
Yankton County has had 76 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 12 people and killing 6.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Yankton?
NHTSA data shows US-81 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Yankton since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Yankton?
August has the most truck crashes in Yankton County, 18.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Yankton?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Yankton County since 2015, 1.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Yankton compared with South Dakota?
The yearly rate is 25.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Yankton County, vs 42.0 for South Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Yankton?
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.