Willmar, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Willmar: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Willmar and Kandiyohi County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kandiyohi County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 292 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Kandiyohi County compares with Minnesota
Kandiyohi County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kandiyohi County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kandiyohi County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.8 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 11% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.1% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.9% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 15% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.4% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 46% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.4% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Minnesota, Kandiyohi County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Kandiyohi County: 6.5 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Minnesota: 3.0).
Overview
Since 2015, 292 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Kandiyohi County. They injured 155 people and killed 21.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 14 days.
With 75 truck crashes reported in Willmar since 2015, this page uses Kandiyohi County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (12.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (4.8%).
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 9.6% of truck crashes.
20.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
US-12 leads within 10 miles of Willmar with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-40 (2), 60th St Sw (1) and SR-23 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 2.4% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Willmar fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-12 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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 Kandiyohi County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-12 | 3 |
| SR-40 | 2 |
| 60th St Sw | 1 |
| SR-23 | 1 |
| Sr-Highway 40 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kandiyohi County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 23 | 38 |
| Usth 71 | 15 |
| Usth 12 | 13 |
| 195Th Ave Se | 8 |
| 195Th St Se | 8 |
| 30Th St Sw | 8 |
| Hwy | 7 |
| 1St St | 6 |
Willmar at a glance
| Population | 21,892 |
| Land area | 14.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,538 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56201) | $68,804 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56201) | $215,960 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kandiyohi 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 | 4 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 22 | +458% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 25 | +13% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 25 | +2% | 2.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 25. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Willmar
How many truck crashes happen in Willmar?
292 truck crashes have been reported in Kandiyohi County since 2015, with 21 deaths and 155 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Willmar?
US-12 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Willmar since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Willmar?
Truck crashes in Kandiyohi County peak in October, with 12.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Willmar?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Kandiyohi County since 2015 (2.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Willmar compare with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Kandiyohi County has 56.8 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Willmar?
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.