Spencer, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Spencer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Spencer and Aitkin County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Aitkin County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 112 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Aitkin County compares with Minnesota
Aitkin County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Aitkin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Aitkin County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 60.7 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.7% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.3% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.4% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 9% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.1% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.3% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Aitkin County has lower values than Minnesota for injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
Aitkin County at a glance: 6.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.0 in Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 112 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Aitkin County. They injured 38 people and killed 7.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 37 days.
Only 10 truck crashes were reported in Spencer since 2015; patterns below come from Aitkin County as a whole.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 14.3% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (4.5%).
November through March accounts for 43.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 12.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 30.3% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Spencer since 2015: US-169 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.6% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Spencer fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 30.3% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Aitkin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-169 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Aitkin County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 210 | 23 |
| Usth 169 | 18 |
| Mnth 200 | 12 |
| Mnth 65 | 12 |
| Mnth 18 | 7 |
| Hwy | 6 |
| Mnth 47 | 6 |
| Great River Rd | 2 |
Spencer at a glance
| Population | 554 |
| Land area | 36.9 sq mi |
| Density | 15 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56431) | $67,828 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56431) | $296,085 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Aitkin 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 | 3 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 8 | +169% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 9 | +6% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 10 | +10% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 10. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Spencer
How common are truck crashes in Spencer?
Aitkin County has had 112 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 38 people and killing 7.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Spencer?
The worst month is December: 14.3% of truck crashes in Aitkin County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Spencer?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Aitkin County since 2015 (3.6% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Spencer compare with Minnesota?
Aitkin County records 60.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Spencer?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.