ZIP 59859 (Plains, MT) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 59859: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Sanders 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
0 of 90 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Sanders County compares with Montana
Sanders County against Montana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sanders County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sanders County | Montana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 55.0 | 64.3 | 49.7 | 14% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.0 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.30 | 0.34 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 21.4% | 39.4% | 6.2% | 46% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.2% | 22.9% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.1% | 20.6% | 13.8% | 36% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.2% | 54.3% | 41.9% | 17% below the state |
| After dark | 22.6% | 30.8% | 24.8% | 26% below the state |
Sanders County has lower values than Montana for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Montana on deaths per 100 crashes.
What stands out in Sanders County: 0 crashes involve a garbage truck (0 since 2015), vs 0.9% across Montana.
Overview
Police reported 90 crashes involving commercial trucks in Sanders County since 2015: 25 people were injured and 5 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 48 days.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 16.7% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (1.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.2% of truck crashes, against 54.3% across Montana.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 14.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 21.4% of truck crashes, compared with 39.4% in Montana.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 59859 happened on SR-200 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Sanders County since 2015.
Route planning tips for ZIP 59859 fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Sanders County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-200 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sanders County) |
|---|---|
| Cottonwood Creek Rd | 1 |
| Mm 102.5 Hwy 200 | 1 |
| Mm 112.8 Mt 200 | 1 |
| Mm 13.8 Hwy 135- | 1 |
| Mm 5.5 Hwy 28 | 1 |
| Mm 84.4 Hwy 200 | 1 |
| Mm13.5 Mt135 | 1 |
ZIP 59859 at a glance
| Population | 4,360 |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $64,846 |
| Median home value | $426,816 |
| Home ownership | 78% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sanders 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 | 0 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 10 | +7180% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 7 | -33% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 8 | +21% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 10 a year in the 2000s and 8 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 59859
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 59859?
Sanders County has had 90 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 25 people and killing 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 59859?
Truck crashes in Sanders County peak in May, with 16.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 59859?
Since 2015, Sanders County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 59859 compared with Montana?
Per 100,000 residents, Sanders County has 55.0 truck crashes a year; Montana has 64.3.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 59859?
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.