South Bend, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Bend: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South Bend 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 |
Blue Earth County has lower values than Minnesota for injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am).
South Bend at a glance: US-169 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of South Bend.
Overview
Since 2015, 358 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Blue Earth County. They injured 125 people and killed 15.
That averages about one truck crash every 12 days in fully reported years.
Only 24 truck crashes were reported in South Bend since 2015; patterns below come from Blue Earth County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 12.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.1% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 12.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 19.8% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of South Bend is US-169, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by CR-3 N Victory Dr (1), CR-50 535Th Ave (1) and SR-22 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.0% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for South Bend fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Blue Earth County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-169; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 29.1% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; adjust start times where you can.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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 | 3 |
| CR-3 N Victory Dr | 1 |
| CR-50 535Th Ave | 1 |
| SR-22 | 1 |
| SR-60 | 1 |
| US-14 | 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 |
South Bend at a glance
| Population | 1,565 |
| Land area | 16.4 sq mi |
| Density | 95 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 27. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South Bend
How many truck accidents are there in South Bend?
358 truck crashes have been reported in Blue Earth County since 2015, with 15 deaths and 125 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in South Bend?
Since 2015, US-169 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of South Bend: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in South Bend?
December has the most truck crashes in Blue Earth County, 12.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in South Bend?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Blue Earth County since 2015, 2.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in South Bend compare with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Blue Earth County has 42.8 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in South Bend?
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.