Wheatland, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wheatland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wheatland 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 has lower values than Minnesota for garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Rice County: 1 in 83 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.2%, against 2.8% for Minnesota.
Overview
Rice County has recorded 543 truck crashes since 2015, with 206 people injured and 15 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 8 days.
Wheatland had 3 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Rice County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 13.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 4.6%.
November through March accounts for 52.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
36.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Wheatland since 2015: CR-26 Lexington Rd (1), CR-86 30Th St W (1), I-35 (1), SR-13 (1) and SR-19 (1). No single road stands out.
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 Wheatland fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 36.6% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Rice County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-26 Lexington Rd | 1 |
| CR-86 30Th St W | 1 |
| I-35 | 1 |
| SR-13 | 1 |
| SR-19 | 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 |
Wheatland at a glance
| Population | 1,298 |
| Land area | 32.5 sq mi |
| Density | 40 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55046) | $95,912 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55046) | $363,141 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 17 to 47. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wheatland
How many truck crashes happen in Wheatland?
Since 2015, 543 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Rice County (206 injured, 15 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Wheatland?
Truck crashes in Rice County peak in December, with 13.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Wheatland?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Rice County since 2015 (1.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Wheatland compared with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 66.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Rice County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wheatland?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.