Garfield Township, Polk County, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Garfield Township, Polk County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Garfield Township, Polk County and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 210 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Minnesota
Polk County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 57.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 44% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 28.1% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 26% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.8% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.2% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Compared with Minnesota, Polk County is lower on garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Polk County: 7.8 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.0 across Minnesota.
Overview
Police reported 210 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 107 people were injured and 15 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 21 days.
Only 4 truck crashes were reported in Garfield Township, Polk County since 2015; patterns below come from Polk County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 16.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 3.3%.
November through March accounts for 43.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 13.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 28.1% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Garfield since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-10 160Th Ave Se (1) and SR-32 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Garfield Township, Polk County fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- With 28.1% 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
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-10 160Th Ave Se | 1 |
| SR-32 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 2 | 48 |
| Usth 75 | 16 |
| Mnth 220 | 6 |
| Hwy | 6 |
| 170Th St Sw | 5 |
| Gateway Dr Nw | 5 |
| 150Th St Sw | 4 |
| 430Th St Se | 4 |
Garfield Township, Polk County at a glance
| Population | 511 |
| Land area | 32.9 sq mi |
| Density | 16 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56540) | $83,646 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56540) | $194,605 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 8 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 17 | +114% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 18 | +3% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 17 | -4% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 17. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Garfield Township, Polk County
How many truck crashes happen in Garfield Township, Polk County?
210 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 15 deaths and 107 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Garfield Township, Polk County?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in October, with 16.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Garfield Township, Polk County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
How does Garfield Township, Polk County compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 57.4 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Garfield Township, Polk County?
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.