Forest Lake, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Forest Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Forest Lake and Anoka County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Anoka County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Anoka County compares with Minnesota
Anoka County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Anoka County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Anoka County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 20.0 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 49% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.8% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.9% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 30% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.7% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 15% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.4% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Anoka County sits below Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
Anoka County at a glance: 1 in 21 crashes involve a garbage truck (44 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 906 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Anoka County. They injured 344 people and killed 21.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
Forest Lake had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Anoka County numbers.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 11.4% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.0%).
November through March accounts for 44.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 8.8% of truck crashes.
17.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-35 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). It is followed by CR-13 Manning Tr N (1), CR-4 170Th St N (1) and Irish Ave N (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 44 of the truck crashes here, or 4.9%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in July (20% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Forest Lake fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-35, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in July; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Anoka County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 2 |
| CR-13 Manning Tr N | 1 |
| CR-4 170Th St N | 1 |
| Irish Ave N | 1 |
| N Shore Tr | 1 |
| SR-95 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Anoka County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 694 | 49 |
| Central Ave Ne | 38 |
| Mnth 65 | 36 |
| Usth 10 | 35 |
| University Ave Ne | 22 |
| Naples St Ne | 18 |
| Main St | 14 |
| Lake Dr | 13 |
Forest Lake at a glance
| Population | 20,700 |
| Land area | 30.5 sq mi |
| Density | 678 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55025) | $98,382 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55025) | $405,302 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Anoka 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 | 17 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 73 | +329% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 74 | +2% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 76 | +2% | 2.2 |
In the 1990s about 17 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 76. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 2.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Forest Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Forest Lake?
Anoka County has had 906 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 344 people and killing 21.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Forest Lake?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Forest Lake since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Forest Lake?
December has the most truck crashes in Anoka County, 11.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Forest Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 44 reported crashes in Anoka County since 2015 (4.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Forest Lake compare with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Anoka County has 20.0 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Forest Lake?
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.