Knife River, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Knife River: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Knife River and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 48 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with Minnesota
Lake County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 45.5% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 34.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 65.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.4× the state |
| After dark | 18.2% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 10% below the state |
Compared with Minnesota, Lake County is lower on morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
Lake County at a glance: December 20.8% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 48 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lake County. They injured 19 people and killed 2.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 91 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Knife River since 2015; patterns below come from Lake County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (20.8% of the year) and are lowest in May (0.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 65.9% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (14.6%).
Road surface: 45.5% 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 Knife River happened on CR-2 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 4.2% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Knife River fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 45.5% 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
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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-2 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 61 | 18 |
| 11Th St | 2 |
| Csah 2 | 2 |
| Hwy | 2 |
| National Forest Hwy 7 | 2 |
| National Forest Hwy 9 | 2 |
| SR-2 | 2 |
| 23Rd Ave | 1 |
Knife River at a glance
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55609) | $78,208 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | 2 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 6 | +275% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 4 | -30% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 4 | -11% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 4. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Knife River
How common are truck crashes in Knife River?
48 truck crashes have been reported in Lake County since 2015, with 2 deaths and 19 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Knife River?
December has the most truck crashes in Lake County, 20.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Knife River?
Since 2015, Lake County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Knife River compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 37.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Knife River?
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.