Shell Lake, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Shell Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Shell Lake and Becker County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Becker County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 146 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Becker County compares with Minnesota
Becker County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Becker County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Becker County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 34.1 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 13% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 20% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 33.8% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.6% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.6% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 18.1% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Becker County sits below Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and after dark. It runs above Minnesota on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
Becker County at a glance: 33.8% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Overview
Police reported 146 crashes involving commercial trucks in Becker County since 2015: 56 people were injured and 6 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 30 days in fully reported years.
Shell Lake had 2 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Becker County numbers.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 11.6% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (5.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 49.6% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 10.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 33.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Shell Lake.
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.7% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Shell Lake fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 33.8% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Becker County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Becker County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 10 | 52 |
| Usth 59 | 16 |
| Mnth 34 | 15 |
| Csah 37 | 4 |
| Mnth 87 | 3 |
| Csah 21 | 3 |
| Csah 15 | 2 |
| Csah 40 | 2 |
Shell Lake at a glance
| Population | 294 |
| Land area | 28.5 sq mi |
| Density | 10 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56570) | $61,042 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56570) | $315,211 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Becker 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 | 5 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 12 | +157% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 12 | +0% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 11 | -12% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 5 to 11. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Shell Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Shell Lake?
146 truck crashes have been reported in Becker County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 56 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Shell Lake?
February has the most truck crashes in Becker County, 11.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Shell Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Becker County since 2015 (2.7% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Shell Lake compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 34.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Becker County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Shell Lake?
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.