Fairbanks, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Fairbanks: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Fairbanks 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.0 across Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 632 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in St. Louis County. They injured 250 people and killed 32.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
Fairbanks had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use St. Louis County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 14.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 52.3% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 34.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Fairbanks since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
21 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.3% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in December (24%).
They recorded 5.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 5.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Fairbanks fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in December; review collection routes for that month.
- Morning starts matter: 29.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Minnesota.
- 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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Fairbanks at a glance
| Population | 71 |
| Land area | 70.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55602) | $73,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55602) | $266,423 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 12 to 51. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Fairbanks
How many truck accidents are there in Fairbanks?
St. Louis County has had 632 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 250 people and killing 32.
When do most truck crashes happen in Fairbanks?
January has the most truck crashes in St. Louis County, 14.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Fairbanks?
Since 2015, St. Louis County has reported 21 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Fairbanks compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, St. Louis County has 27.0 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Fairbanks?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.