Deer River, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Deer River: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Deer River and Itasca County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Itasca County numbers.
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 has lower values than Minnesota for crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It runs above Minnesota on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Itasca County: 8.6 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Minnesota: 3.0).
Overview
Itasca County has recorded 169 truck crashes since 2015, with 85 people injured and 14 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 25 days.
Only 6 truck crashes were reported in Deer River since 2015; patterns below come from Itasca County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (16.0% of the year) and are lowest in March (2.4%).
November through March accounts for 43.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (11.8%).
Road surface: 28.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Deer River happened on US-2 (1); no road leads clearly.
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 Deer River fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Itasca County.
- 28.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Minnesota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Itasca County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Deer River at a glance
| Population | 930 |
| Land area | 1.5 sq mi |
| Density | 613 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56636) | $61,289 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56636) | $208,868 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Deer River
How common are truck crashes in Deer River?
Since 2015, 169 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Itasca County (85 injured, 14 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Deer River?
January has the most truck crashes in Itasca County, 16.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Deer River?
Since 2015, Itasca County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Deer River compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 32.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Itasca County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Deer River?
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.