Rice County, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Rice County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 543 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rice County compares with Minnesota
Rice County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rice County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rice County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 66.1 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 57% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 36.6% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 29.3% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.2% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 22.3% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Rice County sits below Minnesota on garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Rice County at a glance: 1 in 83 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.2%, vs 2.8% in Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 543 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Rice County. They injured 206 people and killed 15.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 8 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (13.8% of the year) and are lowest in May (4.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 52.2% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 36.6% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Rice County happened on I-35 (3), SR-60 (3), CR-10 Dodd Rd (1), CR-19 Glynnview Tr (1) and CR-86 30Th St W (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 7 of the truck crashes here, or 1.3%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Rice County fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Rice County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 36.6% 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
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Rice County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Rice County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 3 |
| SR-60 | 3 |
| CR-10 Dodd Rd | 1 |
| CR-19 Glynnview Tr | 1 |
| CR-86 30Th St W | 1 |
| SR-19 | 1 |
| SR-21 | 1 |
| SR-3 | 1 |
| Ts-Groveland Tr | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rice County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 108 |
| 7Th St Nw | 23 |
| Morristown Blvd | 11 |
| Lonsdale Blvd | 8 |
| Mnth 21 | 6 |
| Sb I-35 65 Mm | 6 |
| Faribault Blvd | 6 |
| Cabot Ave | 6 |
Rice County at a glance
| Population | 69,025 |
| Land area | 495.8 sq mi |
| Density | 139 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $84,116 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rice 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 | 17 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 35 | +105% | 1.8 |
| 2010s | 40 | +14% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 47 | +17% | 1.4 |
In the 1990s about 17 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 47. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Rice County
ZIP codes in Rice County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Rice County
How many truck accidents are there in Rice County?
543 truck crashes have been reported in Rice County since 2015, with 15 deaths and 206 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Rice County?
December has the most truck crashes in Rice County, 13.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Rice County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Rice County since 2015 (1.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Rice County compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 66.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rice County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Rice County?
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.