ZIP 57461 (Mellette, SD) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 57461: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Spink County, 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
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 sits below South Dakota on 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.
What stands out in Spink County: October worst month: 17.0% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Spink County has recorded 47 truck crashes since 2015, with 15 people injured and 2 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 87 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 17.0% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (2.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.6% of truck crashes, vs 48.8% for 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 ZIP 57461.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 2.1%, compared with 1.6% in South Dakota.
Route planning tips for ZIP 57461 fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Spink County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 |
ZIP 57461 at a glance
| Population | 299 |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $105,536 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 5 to 4. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 57461
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 57461?
Since 2015, 47 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Spink County (15 injured, 2 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 57461?
October has the most truck crashes in Spink County, 17.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 57461?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Spink County since 2015, 2.1% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 57461 compared with South Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, Spink County has 68.5 truck crashes a year; South Dakota has 42.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 57461?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.