St. Louis County, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in St. Louis 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
5.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 5.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How St. Louis County compares with Minnesota
St. Louis County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where St. Louis County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | St. Louis County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 27.0 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.4% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 34.0% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.3% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.3% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 15.4% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
St. Louis County has lower values than Minnesota for crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in St. Louis County: 5.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Minnesota: 3.0).
Overview
Since 2015, 632 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in St. Louis County. They injured 250 people and killed 32.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 7 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 14.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 52.3% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 9.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 34.0% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks in St. Louis County is US-53, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-169 (2), US-2 (2) and CR-10 Martin Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 21 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in December (24% of them).
They recorded 5.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 5.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for St. Louis County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in St. Louis County.
- Check whether your routes use US-53, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in St. Louis County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 29.1% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; adjust start times where you can.
- With 34.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Minnesota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 St. Louis County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in St. Louis County) |
|---|---|
| US-53 | 4 |
| US-169 | 2 |
| US-2 | 2 |
| CR-10 Martin Rd | 1 |
| CR-101 | 1 |
| CR-102 Park Ridge Dr | 1 |
| CR-129 | 1 |
| CR-137 | 1 |
| CR-16 Town Line Rd | 1 |
| CR-28 Sax Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (St. Louis County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 53 | 90 |
| I-35 | 40 |
| Usth 2 | 26 |
| Usth 169 | 26 |
| Miller Trunk Hwy | 16 |
| Hwy | 11 |
| Mnth 135 | 10 |
| Mnth 73 | 10 |
St. Louis County at a glance
| Population | 200,794 |
| Land area | 6,248.1 sq mi |
| Density | 32 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $72,541 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in St. Louis 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 | 12 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 58 | +381% | 3.1 |
| 2010s | 56 | -2% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 51 | -9% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 12 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 51. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in St. Louis County
ZIP codes in St. Louis County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about St. Louis County
How common are truck crashes in St. Louis County?
632 truck crashes have been reported in St. Louis County since 2015, with 32 deaths and 250 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in St. Louis County?
Since 2015, US-53 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in St. Louis County: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in St. Louis County?
Truck crashes in St. Louis County peak in January, with 14.1% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in St. Louis County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 21 reported crashes in St. Louis County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in St. Louis County compared with Minnesota?
St. Louis County records 27.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in St. Louis County?
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.