Cottonwood, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cottonwood: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cottonwood and Lyon County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lyon County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 163 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lyon County compares with Minnesota
Lyon County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lyon County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lyon County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 55.8 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.50 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 24.8% | 25.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.2% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.4% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 30% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 14.6% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 28% below the state |
Lyon County has lower values than Minnesota for in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Lyon County: March the month with the most truck crashes: 12.9% of the year's total.
Overview
Police reported 163 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lyon County since 2015: 83 people were injured and 5 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 26 days.
Cottonwood had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lyon County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (12.9% of the year) and are lowest in July (2.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 52.9% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
By time of day, 7–8 am stands out with 12.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 24.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cottonwood since 2015: SR-23 (1) and US-59 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.1% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Cottonwood fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lyon County.
- 31.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Minnesota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Lyon County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-23 | 1 |
| US-59 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lyon County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 23 | 45 |
| Mnth 19 | 16 |
| Usth 59 | 15 |
| Mnth 68 | 8 |
| W Main St | 7 |
| E Main St | 6 |
| Hwy | 5 |
| 340Th St | 4 |
Cottonwood at a glance
| Population | 1,146 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,144 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56229) | $104,375 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56229) | $204,410 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lyon 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 | 8 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 13 | +64% | 0.7 |
| 2010s | 14 | +10% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 15 | +6% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 15 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cottonwood
How many truck accidents are there in Cottonwood?
Lyon County has had 163 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 83 people and killing 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Cottonwood?
Truck crashes in Lyon County peak in March, with 12.9% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Cottonwood?
5 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lyon County since 2015, 3.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Cottonwood compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Lyon County has 55.8 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Cottonwood?
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.