Bluffton, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bluffton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bluffton and Otter Tail County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Otter Tail County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 466 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Otter Tail County compares with Minnesota
Otter Tail County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Otter Tail County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Otter Tail County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 64.5 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 42% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 35.2% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.2% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.9% | 19.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.1% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.0% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Otter Tail County has lower values than Minnesota for injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
What stands out in Otter Tail County: 1 in 62 crashes involve a garbage truck (7 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 466 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Otter Tail County. They injured 166 people and killed 14.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 9 days.
Bluffton had 14 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Otter Tail County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 12.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 6.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.1% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.7%).
Road surface: 35.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Bluffton happened on US-71 (3); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.5% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Bluffton fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Otter Tail County.
- With 35.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Minnesota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Otter Tail County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-71 | 3 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Otter Tail County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 94 | 146 |
| Usth 10 | 35 |
| Mnth 210 | 23 |
| Mnth 29 | 12 |
| Mnth 78 | 12 |
| Usth 59 | 11 |
| Mnth 108 | 10 |
| Csah 75 | 6 |
Bluffton at a glance
| Population | 212 |
| Land area | 2.7 sq mi |
| Density | 78 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56518) | $71,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56518) | $136,242 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Otter Tail 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 | 14 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 28 | +97% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 34 | +21% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 41 | +19% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 14 a year in the 1990s and 41 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bluffton
How many truck accidents are there in Bluffton?
Otter Tail County has had 466 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 166 people and killing 14.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Bluffton?
The worst month is December: 12.7% of truck crashes in Otter Tail County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bluffton?
Since 2015, Otter Tail County has reported 7 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Bluffton compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Otter Tail County has 64.5 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Bluffton?
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.