Zion, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Zion: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Zion and Stearns County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Stearns County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.0 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Stearns County compares with Minnesota
Stearns County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Stearns County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Stearns County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.2 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 14% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 30% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 34.0% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.8% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.4% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 28.8% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Stearns County has lower values than Minnesota for injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Stearns County at a glance: 28.8% share of truck crashes after dark (Minnesota: 20.3%).
Overview
Police reported 1,072 crashes involving commercial trucks in Stearns County since 2015: 349 people were injured and 30 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
Zion had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Stearns County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (11.4% of the year) and are lowest in July (5.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 50.9% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (8.5%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 34.0% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Zion since 2015: SR-23 (4). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
21 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.0% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Their busiest month is June, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.0 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Zion fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Stearns County.
- 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
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 Stearns County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-23 | 4 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Stearns County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 94 | 415 |
| Mnth 23 | 68 |
| Mnth 15 | 44 |
| Division St | 33 |
| Csah 75 | 26 |
| Hwy | 18 |
| Usth 71 | 16 |
| Csah 2 | 15 |
Zion at a glance
| Population | 312 |
| Land area | 35.4 sq mi |
| Density | 9 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56371) | $51,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56371) | $187,822 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Stearns 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 | 18 | — | 2.6 |
| 2000s | 71 | +284% | 2.2 |
| 2010s | 88 | +25% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 93 | +5% | 3.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 18 a year in the 1990s and 93 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 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Zion
How many truck crashes happen in Zion?
Since 2015, 1,072 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Stearns County (349 injured, 30 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Zion?
December has the most truck crashes in Stearns County, 11.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Zion?
21 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Stearns County since 2015, 2.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Zion compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 56.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Stearns County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Zion?
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.