Star Lake, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Star Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Star Lake 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 |
Compared with Minnesota, Otter Tail County is lower on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
What stands out in Otter Tail County: 1 in 62 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.6%, against 2.8% for Minnesota.
Overview
Otter Tail County has recorded 466 truck crashes since 2015, with 166 people injured and 14 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 9 days.
Star Lake had 2 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
December has the most truck crashes, 12.7% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.1% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 35.2% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Star Lake since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.5% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Star Lake fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 35.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Minnesota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Star Lake at a glance
| Population | 449 |
| Land area | 25.0 sq mi |
| Density | 18 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56528) | $79,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56528) | $316,346 |
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 Star Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Star Lake?
466 truck crashes have been reported in Otter Tail County since 2015, with 14 deaths and 166 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Star Lake?
December has the most truck crashes in Otter Tail County, 12.7% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Star Lake?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Otter Tail County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Star Lake compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Otter Tail County has 64.5 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Star Lake?
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.