Golden Valley, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Golden Valley: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Golden Valley and Hennepin County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Hennepin County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Hennepin County compares with Minnesota
Hennepin County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Hennepin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Hennepin County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 32.7 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 16% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 67% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.31 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 16% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.9% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.4% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 36% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.9% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.9% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 17.1% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Compared with Minnesota, Hennepin County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
The headline for Golden Valley: US-169 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Golden Valley since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 4,851 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Hennepin County. They injured 1,545 people and killed 52.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Only 104 truck crashes were reported in Golden Valley since 2015; patterns below come from Hennepin County as a whole.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 9.7% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.2% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.6% of truck crashes.
16.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
US-169 leads within 10 miles of Golden Valley with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-35 (2), Lyndale Ave N (2) and SR-47 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 187 of the truck crashes here, or 3.9%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (13%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.7 deaths compared with 1.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Golden Valley fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Hennepin County.
- Look at alternatives to US-169 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Hennepin County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Hennepin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-169 | 3 |
| I-35 | 2 |
| Lyndale Ave N | 2 |
| SR-47 | 2 |
| SR-55 | 2 |
| 12th St N | 1 |
| 72nd Ave Ne | 1 |
| Alleyway | 1 |
| CR-1 | 1 |
| CR-102 Douglas Drive | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Hennepin County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 94 | 430 |
| Isth 494 | 263 |
| Usth 169 | 160 |
| Csah 81 | 68 |
| Mnth 55 | 55 |
| Mnth 62 | 45 |
| Washington Ave | 44 |
| Mnth 100 | 42 |
Golden Valley at a glance
| Population | 21,263 |
| Land area | 10.2 sq mi |
| Density | 2,084 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55427) | $92,821 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55427) | $360,684 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Hennepin 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 | 103 | — | 5.6 |
| 2000s | 435 | +324% | 4.9 |
| 2010s | 435 | +0% | 4.6 |
| 2020s | 373 | -14% | 4.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 103 to 373. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 5.2 a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Golden Valley
How common are truck crashes in Golden Valley?
Since 2015, 4,851 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Hennepin County (1,545 injured, 52 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Golden Valley?
NHTSA data shows US-169 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Golden Valley since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Golden Valley?
The worst month is February: 9.7% of truck crashes in Hennepin County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Golden Valley?
187 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Hennepin County since 2015, 3.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Golden Valley compare with Minnesota?
Hennepin County records 32.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Golden Valley?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.