Wells Township, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wells Township: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wells Township and Rice County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Rice County numbers.
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). It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Rice County: 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
Only 35 truck crashes were reported in Wells Township since 2015; patterns below come from Rice County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 13.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 4.6%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 52.2% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 36.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
I-35 leads within 10 miles of Wells with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-60 (2), CR-10 Dodd Rd (1) and CR-19 Glynnview Tr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 1.3% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Wells Township fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-35, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 36.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Minnesota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 3 |
| SR-60 | 2 |
| CR-10 Dodd Rd | 1 |
| CR-19 Glynnview Tr | 1 |
| SR-21 | 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 |
Wells Township at a glance
| Population | 1,585 |
| Land area | 25.7 sq mi |
| Density | 62 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55021) | $68,820 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55021) | $279,141 |
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. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wells Township
How common are truck crashes in Wells Township?
Since 2015, 543 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rice County (206 injured, 15 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Wells Township?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Wells since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Wells Township?
Truck crashes in Rice County peak in December, with 13.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Wells Township?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Rice County since 2015, 1.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Wells Township compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Rice County has 66.1 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wells Township?
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.