Elk, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elk: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elk and Nobles County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Nobles County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 298 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Nobles County compares with Minnesota
Nobles County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Nobles County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Nobles County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 115.0 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 2.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 40% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.4% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 87% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 47.5% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.9× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.3% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 17% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 55.4% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 31.6% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.6× the state |
Nobles County sits below Minnesota on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Nobles County: 1 in 278 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.4%, against 2.8% for Minnesota.
Overview
Nobles County has recorded 298 truck crashes since 2015, with 116 people injured and 6 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 14 days in fully reported years.
Elk had 9 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Nobles County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.1% of the year) and are lowest in May (4.0%).
November through March accounts for 55.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (9.7%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 47.5% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elk since 2015 were spread across roads: I-90 (1) and SR-60 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.3% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Elk fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 47.5% 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
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 Nobles County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 1 |
| SR-60 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Nobles County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 90 | 109 |
| Mnth 60 | 59 |
| Usth 59 | 11 |
| Oxford St | 10 |
| Mnth 91 | 6 |
| Mn 60 | 5 |
| I-90 | 4 |
| SR-60 | 4 |
Elk at a glance
| Population | 208 |
| Land area | 36.1 sq mi |
| Density | 6 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56165) | $106,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56165) | $211,029 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Nobles 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 | 10 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 18 | +84% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 26 | +44% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 26 | +0% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 10 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 26. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elk
How many truck accidents are there in Elk?
298 truck crashes have been reported in Nobles County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 116 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Elk?
January has the most truck crashes in Nobles County, 12.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elk?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Nobles County since 2015 (0.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Elk compared with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 115.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Nobles County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Elk?
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.