Shelby, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Shelby: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Shelby and Blue Earth County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Blue Earth County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 358 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Blue Earth County compares with Minnesota
Blue Earth County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Blue Earth County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Blue Earth County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 42.8 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 25% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.8% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 22% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.5% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 13% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.1% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 17.4% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 14% below the state |
Compared with Minnesota, Blue Earth County is lower on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am).
Blue Earth County at a glance: December the month with the most truck crashes: 12.0% of the year's total.
Overview
Blue Earth County has recorded 358 truck crashes since 2015, with 125 people injured and 15 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 12 days.
Shelby had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Blue Earth County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (12.0% of the year) and are lowest in April (4.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.1% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (12.0%).
19.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Shelby happened on US-169 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 2.0% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Shelby fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 29.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Minnesota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Blue Earth 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 (Blue Earth County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 14 | 47 |
| Usth 169 | 45 |
| Mnth 60 | 29 |
| Mnth 22 | 25 |
| Hwy | 10 |
| Mnth 30 | 9 |
| 3Rd Ave | 8 |
| N Riverfront Dr | 7 |
Shelby at a glance
| Population | 241 |
| Land area | 35.2 sq mi |
| Density | 7 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56010) | $80,156 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56010) | $163,871 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Blue Earth 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 | 8 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 23 | +191% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 30 | +27% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 27 | -8% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 27 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Shelby
How common are truck crashes in Shelby?
Since 2015, 358 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Blue Earth County (125 injured, 15 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Shelby?
December has the most truck crashes in Blue Earth County, 12.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Shelby?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Blue Earth County since 2015 (2.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Shelby compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 42.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Blue Earth County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Shelby?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.