Sparta, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sparta: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sparta and Chippewa County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chippewa County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 127 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chippewa County compares with Minnesota
Chippewa County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chippewa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chippewa County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 85.0 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 2.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 69% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 18.3% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 29% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 16.5% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 39% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.0% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 32% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.4% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 19% below the state |
| After dark | 23.5% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Chippewa County has lower values than Minnesota for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Chippewa County: 7.0 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.0 in Minnesota.
Overview
Police reported 127 crashes involving commercial trucks in Chippewa County since 2015: 65 people were injured and 9 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 35 days.
With 7 truck crashes reported in Sparta since 2015, this page uses Chippewa County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (17.3% of the year) and are lowest in April (3.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 37.4% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (7.9%).
18.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Sparta since 2015: US-212 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.6% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Sparta fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 Chippewa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-212 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chippewa County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 23 | 22 |
| 50Th St | 15 |
| 60Th St Ne | 9 |
| 50Th St Se | 6 |
| 60Th St Nw | 6 |
| Usth 212 | 6 |
| 1St St | 5 |
| 60Th Ave Se | 5 |
Sparta at a glance
| Population | 713 |
| Land area | 38.6 sq mi |
| Density | 18 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56265) | $74,848 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56265) | $163,895 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chippewa 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 | — | 1.2 |
| 2000s | 9 | +68% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 10 | +12% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 11 | +16% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 5 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 11. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sparta
How many truck crashes happen in Sparta?
127 truck crashes have been reported in Chippewa County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 65 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Sparta?
October has the most truck crashes in Chippewa County, 17.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Sparta?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Chippewa County since 2015 (1.6% of truck crashes).
How does Sparta compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 85.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Chippewa County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Sparta?
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.