Fergus Falls, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Fergus Falls: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Fergus Falls 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 sits below Minnesota on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
The headline for Otter Tail County: 1 in 62 crashes involve a garbage truck (7 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Minnesota.
Overview
Police reported 466 crashes involving commercial trucks in Otter Tail County since 2015: 166 people were injured and 14 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 9 days in fully reported years.
With 95 truck crashes reported in Fergus Falls since 2015, this page uses Otter Tail County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (12.7% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.1% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.7% of truck crashes.
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 Fergus Falls happened on SR-210 (3); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 1.5% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Fergus Falls fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Otter Tail County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 35.2% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Otter Tail County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-210 | 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 |
Fergus Falls at a glance
| Population | 14,258 |
| Land area | 14.4 sq mi |
| Density | 991 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 14 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 41. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Fergus Falls
How common are truck crashes in Fergus Falls?
Otter Tail County has had 466 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 166 people and killing 14.
When do most truck crashes happen in Fergus Falls?
December has the most truck crashes in Otter Tail County, 12.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Fergus Falls?
Since 2015, Otter Tail County has reported 7 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Fergus Falls compare 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 Fergus Falls?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.