Taconite, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Taconite: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Taconite 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.
The headline for Itasca County: 8.6 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Minnesota: 3.0).
Overview
Since 2015, 169 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Itasca County. They injured 85 people and killed 14.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 25 days.
With 7 truck crashes reported in Taconite since 2015, this page uses Itasca County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (16.0% of the year) and are lowest in March (2.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.8% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 11.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 28.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-169 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (4). Next come CR-57 (2).
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 Taconite fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Itasca County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-169 | 4 |
| CR-57 | 2 |
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 |
Taconite at a glance
| Population | 642 |
| Land area | 28.0 sq mi |
| Density | 23 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55786) | $61,597 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 14. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Taconite
How many truck crashes happen in Taconite?
Since 2015, 169 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Itasca County (85 injured, 14 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Taconite?
NHTSA data shows US-169 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Taconite since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Taconite?
Truck crashes in Itasca County peak in January, with 16.0% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Taconite?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Itasca County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Taconite compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Itasca County has 32.4 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Taconite?
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.