Thief River Falls, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Thief River Falls: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Thief River Falls 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 |
Pennington County sits below Minnesota 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).
Pennington County at a glance: 8.6 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Minnesota: 3.0).
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.
Only 11 truck crashes were reported in Thief River Falls since 2015; patterns below come from Pennington County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 17.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 2.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.0% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across 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
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Thief River Falls since 2015: SR-1 (2) and US-59 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Pennington County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Thief River Falls fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Pennington County.
- Morning starts matter: 31.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Minnesota.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Pennington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-1 | 2 |
| US-59 | 2 |
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 |
Thief River Falls at a glance
| Population | 8,779 |
| Land area | 6.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,462 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56701) | $78,599 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56701) | $197,388 |
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 Thief River Falls
How many truck accidents are there in Thief River Falls?
Pennington County has had 35 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 25 people and killing 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Thief River Falls?
The worst month is August: 17.1% of truck crashes in Pennington County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Thief River Falls?
Since 2015, Pennington County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Thief River Falls compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 23.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Pennington County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Thief River Falls?
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.