Watkins, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watkins: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watkins and Meeker County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Meeker County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 143 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Meeker County compares with Minnesota
Meeker County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Meeker County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Meeker County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 49.5 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.56 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.7% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 18.8% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 27% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.6% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 7% below the state |
| After dark | 14.8% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 27% below the state |
Meeker County has lower values than Minnesota for on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar). It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Meeker County: 1 in 21 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.7%, vs 2.8% in Minnesota.
Overview
Meeker County has recorded 143 truck crashes since 2015, with 79 people injured and 5 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 31 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Watkins since 2015; patterns below come from Meeker County as a whole.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 14.0% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (3.5%).
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (11.9%).
18.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Watkins happened on SR-15 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 7 of the truck crashes here, or 4.9%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Watkins fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Meeker County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Meeker County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-15 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Meeker County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 12 | 30 |
| Mnth 15 | 18 |
| Sibley Ave | 9 |
| Depot St | 8 |
| Mnth 22 | 8 |
| Mnth 24 | 7 |
| Hwy | 5 |
| Mnth 4 | 5 |
Watkins at a glance
| Population | 1,010 |
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,468 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55389) | $96,786 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55389) | $271,398 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Meeker 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 | 5 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 8 | +58% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 10 | +17% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 13 | +33% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 13 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Watkins
How many truck crashes happen in Watkins?
143 truck crashes have been reported in Meeker County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 79 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Watkins?
Truck crashes in Meeker County peak in October, with 14.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Watkins?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Meeker County since 2015 (4.9% of truck crashes).
How does Watkins compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
Meeker County records 49.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Watkins?
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.