Cedar Lake, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cedar Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cedar Lake and Scott County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Scott County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Scott County compares with Minnesota
Scott County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Scott County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Scott County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 33.1 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 15% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 53% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.5% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 22.9% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 11% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.9% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.6% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.7% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Scott County sits below Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Minnesota on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Cedar Lake: I-35 3 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Cedar Lake.
Overview
Scott County has recorded 625 truck crashes since 2015, with 248 people injured and 10 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 7 days.
With 5 truck crashes reported in Cedar Lake since 2015, this page uses Scott County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 11.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.6% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 22.9% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Cedar Lake is I-35, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: CR-21 Eagle Creek Ave (1), CR-86 30Th St W (1) and Orion Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 21 of the truck crashes here, or 3.4%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in February (24% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.0 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Cedar Lake fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-35; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at February schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 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 Scott County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 3 |
| CR-21 Eagle Creek Ave | 1 |
| CR-86 30Th St W | 1 |
| Orion Rd | 1 |
| SR-19 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Scott County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 169 | 154 |
| Mnth 13 | 45 |
| I-35 | 31 |
| Csah 101 | 16 |
| Hwy | 15 |
| Mnth 101 | 13 |
| 1St Ave | 12 |
| Stagecoach Rd | 8 |
Cedar Lake at a glance
| Population | 3,056 |
| Land area | 35.0 sq mi |
| Density | 87 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55020) | $131,071 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55020) | $452,680 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Scott 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 | 15 | — | 2.3 |
| 2000s | 51 | +243% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 49 | -4% | 1.5 |
| 2020s | 51 | +4% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 15 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 51. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cedar Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Cedar Lake?
Scott County has had 625 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 248 people and killing 10.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Cedar Lake?
I-35 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Cedar Lake since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Cedar Lake?
Truck crashes in Scott County peak in December, with 11.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Cedar Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 21 reported crashes in Scott County since 2015 (3.4% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Cedar Lake compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Scott County has 33.1 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Cedar Lake?
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.