Traverse, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Traverse: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Traverse and Nicollet County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Nicollet County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 250 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Nicollet County compares with Minnesota
Nicollet County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Nicollet County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Nicollet County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 62.7 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 55% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 21.4% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 16% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.3% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 25% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.4% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.5% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Nicollet County sits below Minnesota on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
Nicollet County at a glance: 1 in 79 crashes involve a garbage truck (3 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Minnesota.
Overview
Police reported 250 crashes involving commercial trucks in Nicollet County since 2015: 90 people were injured and 7 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 17 days.
With 12 truck crashes reported in Traverse since 2015, this page uses Nicollet County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 11.2% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (2.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.4% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (9.6%).
Road surface: 21.4% 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 Traverse since 2015: US-169 (3) and US-14 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 1.2% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Traverse fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Nicollet County.
- 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 Nicollet County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-169 | 3 |
| US-14 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Nicollet County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 169 | 46 |
| Mnth 15 | 23 |
| Usth 14 | 20 |
| Mnth 111 | 15 |
| Mnth 22 | 11 |
| S Minnesota Ave | 11 |
| Hwy | 9 |
| Mnth 99 | 6 |
Traverse at a glance
| Population | 293 |
| Land area | 22.6 sq mi |
| Density | 13 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56082) | $71,456 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56082) | $272,835 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Nicollet 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 | 3 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 17 | +395% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 23 | +40% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 21 | -12% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 21. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Traverse
How many truck crashes happen in Traverse?
Nicollet County has had 250 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 90 people and killing 7.
When do most truck crashes happen in Traverse?
August has the most truck crashes in Nicollet County, 11.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Traverse?
Since 2015, Nicollet County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.2% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Traverse compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Nicollet County has 62.7 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Traverse?
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.