Cotton, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cotton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cotton and St. Louis County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use St. Louis 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 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 |
Compared with Minnesota, St. Louis County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for St. Louis County: 5.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.0 in Minnesota.
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.
With 9 truck crashes reported in Cotton since 2015, this page uses St. Louis County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 14.1% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (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
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cotton since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-28 Sax Rd (1) and US-53 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 21 crashes, 3.3% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Their busiest month is December, with 24% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.0 deaths compared with 5.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Cotton fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at December schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 29.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Minnesota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 34.0% 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 St. Louis County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-28 Sax Rd | 1 |
| US-53 | 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 |
Cotton at a glance
| Population | 453 |
| Land area | 69.1 sq mi |
| Density | 7 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55724) | $75,313 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55724) | $221,000 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 51 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cotton
How many truck crashes happen in Cotton?
Since 2015, 632 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in St. Louis County (250 injured, 32 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cotton?
January has the most truck crashes in St. Louis County, 14.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Cotton?
21 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in St. Louis County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Cotton 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 Cotton?
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.