Ottawa, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ottawa: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ottawa and Le Sueur County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Le Sueur County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 146 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Le Sueur County compares with Minnesota
Le Sueur County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Le Sueur County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Le Sueur County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 42.6 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 53% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.7% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 74% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 21.7% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 15% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.8% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.8% | 19.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.6% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Le Sueur County sits below Minnesota on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and injuries per crash.
Le Sueur County at a glance: 1 in 139 crashes involve a garbage truck (1 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Minnesota.
Overview
Police reported 146 crashes involving commercial trucks in Le Sueur County since 2015: 62 people were injured and 2 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 29 days.
Only 7 truck crashes were reported in Ottawa since 2015; patterns below come from Le Sueur County as a whole.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 11.6% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (2.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.9% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (9.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 21.7% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
US-169 leads within 10 miles of Ottawa with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come SR-19 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 0.7% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Ottawa fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-169 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
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 Le Sueur County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-169 | 4 |
| SR-19 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Le Sueur County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 169 | 22 |
| Mnth 13 | 16 |
| Mnth 60 | 16 |
| 320Th St | 8 |
| Hwy | 6 |
| Ottawa Rd | 6 |
| Mnth 22 | 5 |
| Mnth 99 | 5 |
Ottawa at a glance
| Population | 293 |
| Land area | 15.0 sq mi |
| Density | 20 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56058) | $86,677 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56058) | $280,435 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Le Sueur 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 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 12 | +187% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 14 | +17% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 10 | -28% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 10. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ottawa
How many truck accidents are there in Ottawa?
146 truck crashes have been reported in Le Sueur County since 2015, with 2 deaths and 62 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Ottawa?
US-169 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ottawa since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ottawa?
December has the most truck crashes in Le Sueur County, 11.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ottawa?
Since 2015, Le Sueur County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 0.7% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ottawa compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Le Sueur County has 42.6 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ottawa?
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.