Cottonwood County, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cottonwood County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 136 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cottonwood County compares with Minnesota
Cottonwood County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cottonwood County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cottonwood County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 102.6 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 2.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.60 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.6× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.3% | 25.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.0% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 33% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.6% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.1% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.0% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Cottonwood County sits below Minnesota on garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Cottonwood County: 8.6 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Minnesota: 3.0).
Overview
Police reported 136 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cottonwood County since 2015: 85 people were injured and 12 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 31 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (11.8% of the year) and are lowest in July (1.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.1% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (12.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 27.3% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Cottonwood County is US-71, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by CR-5 (2), SR-60 (2) and SR-62 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Cottonwood County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Cottonwood County fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-71; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Cottonwood County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Cottonwood County) |
|---|---|
| US-71 | 3 |
| CR-5 | 2 |
| SR-60 | 2 |
| SR-62 | 2 |
| CR-2 520Th Ave | 1 |
| CR-4 450Th Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cottonwood County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 60 | 50 |
| Usth 71 | 18 |
| Mnth 30 | 6 |
| Mnth 62 | 5 |
| Hwy | 5 |
| Csah 1 | 5 |
| Csah 5 | 4 |
| 16Th St | 2 |
Cottonwood County at a glance
| Population | 11,338 |
| Land area | 640.0 sq mi |
| Density | 18 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $72,044 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cottonwood 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 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 8 | +66% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 11 | +30% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 12 | +6% | 1.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Cottonwood County
ZIP codes in Cottonwood County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Cottonwood County
How many truck crashes happen in Cottonwood County?
Cottonwood County has had 136 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 85 people and killing 12.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Cottonwood County?
Since 2015, US-71 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Cottonwood County: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cottonwood County?
Truck crashes in Cottonwood County peak in October, with 11.8% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cottonwood County?
Since 2015, Cottonwood County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Cottonwood County compare with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Cottonwood County has 102.6 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Cottonwood County?
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.