Steele County, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Steele County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 387 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Steele County compares with Minnesota
Steele County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Steele County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Steele County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 87.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 2.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 37% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 60% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 42.2% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.7× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.9% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.3% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 54.2% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 26.1% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Minnesota, Steele County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, 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.
Steele County at a glance: December 18.6% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 387 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Steele County. They injured 120 people and killed 7.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 18.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 4.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 54.2% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (9.6%).
Road surface: 42.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Steele County happened on CR-1 Cedar Ave (1), CR-17 (1), CR-7 Lemond Rd (1), North St (1) and US-14 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
6 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.6% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Steele County fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Steele County.
- With 42.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Minnesota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Steele County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Steele County) |
|---|---|
| CR-1 Cedar Ave | 1 |
| CR-17 | 1 |
| CR-7 Lemond Rd | 1 |
| North St | 1 |
| US-14 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Steele County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 85 |
| Usth 14 | 19 |
| Mineral Springs Rd Ne | 8 |
| W Frontage Rd | 5 |
| Csah 45 | 4 |
| 10Th St Sw | 3 |
| Hoffman Dr | 3 |
| Hoffman Dr Nw | 3 |
Steele County at a glance
| Population | 37,434 |
| Land area | 429.5 sq mi |
| Density | 87 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $85,188 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Steele 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 | 19 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 36 | +93% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 32 | -11% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 34 | +5% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 19 to 34. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Steele County
ZIP codes in Steele County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Steele County
How common are truck crashes in Steele County?
387 truck crashes have been reported in Steele County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 120 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Steele County?
December has the most truck crashes in Steele County, 18.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Steele County?
Since 2015, Steele County has reported 6 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Steele County compared with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 87.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Steele County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Steele County?
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.