Dakota County, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dakota 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Dakota County compares with Minnesota
Dakota County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dakota County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dakota County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 9% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 27% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 22% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.5% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.1% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.8% | 19.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.7% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Minnesota, Dakota County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Minnesota on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Dakota County at a glance: September more garbage-truck crashes happen in September than in any other month (16%).
Overview
Dakota County has recorded 1,906 truck crashes since 2015, with 599 people injured and 40 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 10.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.2% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 20.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Dakota County since 2015: I-35 (4), SR-55 (4), I-494 (3), US-52 (3) and CR-46 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 73 crashes, 3.8% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (16%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Dakota County fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at September schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 30.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Minnesota.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Dakota County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Dakota County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 4 |
| SR-55 | 4 |
| I-494 | 3 |
| US-52 | 3 |
| CR-46 | 2 |
| SR-13 | 2 |
| Burnsville Pkwy | 1 |
| CR-23 | 1 |
| CR-28 Yankee Doodle Rd | 1 |
| CR-31 Pilot Knob Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dakota County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 494 | 135 |
| Usth 52 | 109 |
| I-35 | 76 |
| Mnth 13 | 53 |
| Mnth 55 | 49 |
| Coates Blvd | 35 |
| Cedar Ave | 31 |
| 160Th St | 30 |
Dakota County at a glance
| Population | 453,156 |
| Land area | 562.6 sq mi |
| Density | 806 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $109,506 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dakota 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 | 29 | — | 3.1 |
| 2000s | 144 | +399% | 2.9 |
| 2010s | 158 | +10% | 2.5 |
| 2020s | 152 | -4% | 3.0 |
In the 1990s about 29 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 152. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.2 a year in 2016–19, 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Dakota County
ZIP codes in Dakota County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Dakota County
How many truck accidents are there in Dakota County?
1,906 truck crashes have been reported in Dakota County since 2015, with 40 deaths and 599 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Dakota County?
December has the most truck crashes in Dakota County, 10.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Dakota County?
73 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Dakota County since 2015, 3.8% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Dakota County compare with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Dakota County has 35.4 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Dakota County?
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.