Prairie Lake, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Prairie Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Prairie Lake 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 |
Compared with Minnesota, St. Louis County is lower on 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.
The headline for St. Louis County: 5.4 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.0 across Minnesota.
Overview
Police reported 632 crashes involving commercial trucks in St. Louis County since 2015: 250 people were injured and 32 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Prairie Lake 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%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 52.3% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
34.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Prairie Lake.
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.
They recorded 5.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 5.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Prairie Lake 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.
- 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.
- 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
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 |
Prairie Lake at a glance
| Population | 45 |
| Land area | 35.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55798) | $78,438 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55798) | $232,668 |
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 Prairie Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Prairie Lake?
632 truck crashes have been reported in St. Louis County since 2015, with 32 deaths and 250 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Prairie Lake?
Truck crashes in St. Louis County peak in January, with 14.1% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Prairie Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 21 reported crashes in St. Louis County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How does Prairie Lake compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
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 Prairie Lake?
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.