Rapid City, SD – A new national analysis ranks South Dakota the fifth most dangerous state in the country for large commercial truck accidents, placing it in a cluster of high-risk states across the Great Plains and Mountain West.
The study, conducted by Munley Law and based on federal data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, analyzed safety indicators across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The findings are relevant for freight operations and local traffic along major corridors such as Interstate 90.
The analysis highlighted significant challenges in driver compliance and vehicle maintenance within the state. South Dakota ranked 49th for truck driver drug and alcohol traffic violations, recording 12.55 violations per 100,000 residents. Furthermore, the state ranked 48th for roadside inspection violations, logging 2,788.57 violations per 100,000 residents, indicating a high prevalence of mechanical and operational defects.
The report noted that problem areas are concentrated in the nation’s middle, specifically calling out Great Plains states including South Dakota, North Dakota, and Kansas. Wyoming was ranked as the most dangerous state overall in the study.
