Polk Centre, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polk Centre: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Polk Centre and Pennington County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Pennington County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 35 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pennington County compares with Minnesota
Pennington County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pennington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pennington County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.3 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 40% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.71 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.9× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.7% | 25.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.4% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 13% below the state |
| After dark | 8.6% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 58% below the state |
Compared with Minnesota, Pennington County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Pennington County: 8.6 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.0 across Minnesota.
Overview
Pennington County has recorded 35 truck crashes since 2015, with 25 people injured and 3 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 115 days in fully reported years.
Polk Centre had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Pennington County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (17.1% of the year) and are lowest in July (2.9%).
November through March accounts for 40.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (20.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.7% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Polk Centre happened on SR-1 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Pennington County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Polk Centre fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 31.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Minnesota.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Pennington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-1 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pennington County) |
|---|---|
| Center St | 4 |
| Mnth 1 | 4 |
| Usth 59 | 4 |
| Csah 10 | 2 |
| Hwy | 2 |
| Mnth 32 | 2 |
| 170Th Ave Ne | 1 |
| 190Th St Ne | 1 |
Polk Centre at a glance
| Population | 59 |
| Land area | 24.1 sq mi |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56750) | $71,875 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56750) | $165,566 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pennington 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 | 2 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 4 | +146% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 4 | +0% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 2 | -42% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 2. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Polk Centre
How many truck crashes happen in Polk Centre?
Pennington County has had 35 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 25 people and killing 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk Centre?
The worst month is August: 17.1% of truck crashes in Pennington County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Polk Centre?
Since 2015, Pennington County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Polk Centre compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
Pennington County records 23.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Polk Centre?
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.