Itasca County, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Itasca 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
5 of 169 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Itasca County compares with Minnesota
Itasca County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Itasca County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Itasca County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 32.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 17% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 28.4% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.2% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.4% | 19.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.8% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.5% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Itasca County sits below Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It runs above Minnesota on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Itasca County: 8.6 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Minnesota: 3.0).
Overview
Police reported 169 crashes involving commercial trucks in Itasca County since 2015: 85 people were injured and 14 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 25 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 16.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 2.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.8% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (11.8%).
28.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in Itasca County is US-169, with 6 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-57 (2), SR-46 (2) and CR-3 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 3.0% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Itasca County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-169; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 28.4% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Itasca County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Itasca County) |
|---|---|
| US-169 | 6 |
| CR-57 | 2 |
| SR-46 | 2 |
| CR-3 | 1 |
| CR-42 Rice Rapids Rd | 1 |
| US-2 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Itasca County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 2 | 36 |
| Usth 169 | 23 |
| Hwy | 9 |
| Mnth 38 | 6 |
| Mnth 6 | 6 |
| 4Th St Ne | 5 |
| Mnth 46 | 5 |
| 4Th St Nw | 4 |
Itasca County at a glance
| Population | 45,442 |
| Land area | 2,667.5 sq mi |
| Density | 17 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $70,851 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Itasca 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 | 3 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 16 | +471% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 16 | +3% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 14 | -14% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 3 a year in the 1990s and 14 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Itasca County
ZIP codes in Itasca County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Itasca County
How many truck accidents are there in Itasca County?
169 truck crashes have been reported in Itasca County since 2015, with 14 deaths and 85 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Itasca County?
US-169 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck in Itasca County since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Itasca County?
The worst month is January: 16.0% of truck crashes in Itasca County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Itasca County?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Itasca County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Itasca County compare with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Itasca County has 32.4 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Itasca 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.