Carlton, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Carlton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Carlton and Carlton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Carlton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 143 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Carlton County compares with Minnesota
Carlton County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carlton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Carlton County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 32.2 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 17% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 23% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.26 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 30% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 18% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 46.2% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 31.5% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.7× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 65.4% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.4× the state |
| After dark | 29.2% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Carlton County has lower values than Minnesota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Carlton County: December the month with the most truck crashes: 19.6% of the year's total.
Overview
Police reported 143 crashes involving commercial trucks in Carlton County since 2015: 42 people were injured and 3 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 31 days.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in Carlton since 2015; patterns below come from Carlton County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (19.6% of the year) and are lowest in May (0.0%).
November through March accounts for 65.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 46.2% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Carlton since 2015: CR-4 (1), I-35 (1) and SR-210 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 2.1% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Carlton fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 46.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Minnesota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Carlton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-4 | 1 |
| I-35 | 1 |
| SR-210 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Carlton County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 36 |
| Mnth 210 | 20 |
| Mnth 45 | 8 |
| Mnth 73 | 6 |
| Csah 45 | 4 |
| Mnth 33 | 4 |
| W Co Hwy 61 | 3 |
| Cloquet Ave | 2 |
Carlton at a glance
| Population | 962 |
| Land area | 3.8 sq mi |
| Density | 253 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55718) | $96,546 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55718) | $319,177 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Carlton 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 | 2 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 11 | +398% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 12 | +11% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 11 | -9% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 11. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Carlton
How many truck crashes happen in Carlton?
Carlton County has had 143 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 42 people and killing 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Carlton?
December has the most truck crashes in Carlton County, 19.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Carlton?
Since 2015, Carlton County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.1% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Carlton compare with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Carlton County has 32.2 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Carlton?
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.