Willow Valley, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Willow Valley: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Willow Valley 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 |
St. Louis County has lower values than Minnesota for 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 for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.0 across Minnesota.
Overview
St. Louis County has recorded 632 truck crashes since 2015, with 250 people injured and 32 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 7 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Willow Valley 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.
Road surface: 34.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Willow Valley happened on US-53 (1); no road leads clearly.
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 Willow Valley fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in St. Louis County.
- Morning starts matter: 29.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Minnesota.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 34.0% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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) |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Willow Valley at a glance
| Population | 110 |
| Land area | 35.1 sq mi |
| Density | 3 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55723) | $64,526 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55723) | $191,341 |
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.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Willow Valley
How many truck accidents are there in Willow Valley?
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 Willow Valley?
January has the most truck crashes in St. Louis County, 14.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Willow Valley?
Garbage trucks were involved in 21 reported crashes in St. Louis County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Willow Valley compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 27.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in St. Louis County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Willow Valley?
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.