Minnesota truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Minnesota: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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
2.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Minnesota compares with United States
Minnesota against United States, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Minnesota stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Minnesota | United States | vs US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.0 | 49.7 | 22% below the US |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 3.4 | 12% below the US |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.49 | 24% below the US |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.2× the US |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.6% | 6.2% | 4.1× the US |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the US |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.4× the US |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the US |
| After dark | 20.3% | 24.8% | 18% below the US |
Compared with the US, Minnesota is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
Minnesota at a glance: 25.6% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (the US: 6.2%).
Overview
Since 2015, 26,597 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Minnesota. They injured 10,158 people and killed 779.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 6 truck crashes every day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 10.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.2% of truck crashes, against 41.9% across the US.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (7.9%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.6% of truck crashes, compared with 6.2% in the US.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Minnesota is I-94, with 31 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-169 (28), I-35 (17) and SR-23 (17).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 758 crashes, 2.8% of the total, against 2.3% across the US.
Their busiest month is December, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.1 deaths compared with 3.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Minnesota fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-94; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- 27.0% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above the US; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 25.6% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above the US), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Minnesota
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Minnesota) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 31 |
| US-169 | 28 |
| I-35 | 17 |
| SR-23 | 17 |
| US-10 | 17 |
| US-71 | 16 |
| SR-65 | 13 |
| US-59 | 12 |
| I-90 | 11 |
| SR-210 | 11 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Minnesota) |
|---|---|
| Isth 94 | 2,373 |
| Isth 90 | 712 |
| I-35 | 665 |
| Usth 169 | 604 |
| Isth 494 | 459 |
| Usth 10 | 451 |
| Hwy | 409 |
| Usth 52 | 350 |
Minnesota at a glance
| Population | 5,793,151 |
| Land area | 79,631.6 sq mi |
| Density | 73 per sq mi |
Historical data: truck crashes in Minnesota 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 | 538 | — | 72.0 |
| 2000s | 2,202 | +309% | 63.8 |
| 2010s | 2,250 | +2% | 57.3 |
| 2020s | 2,189 | -3% | 67.4 |
In the 1990s about 538 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 2,189. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 51.2 a year in 2016–19 and 67.4 a year in 2020–24.
Counties in Minnesota
Largest places in Minnesota
Nearby states
Questions fleets ask about Minnesota
How many truck accidents are there in Minnesota?
26,597 truck crashes have been reported in Minnesota since 2015, with 779 deaths and 10,158 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Minnesota?
NHTSA data shows I-94 with 31 fatal large-truck crashes in Minnesota since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Minnesota?
December has the most truck crashes in Minnesota, 10.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Minnesota?
Since 2015, Minnesota has reported 758 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.8% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Minnesota compared with the US?
Minnesota records 39.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 49.7 across the US.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Minnesota?
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.