Ellendale, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ellendale: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ellendale and Steele County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Steele County numbers.
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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Steele County: December worst month: 18.6% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 387 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Steele County. They injured 120 people and killed 7.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 11 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Ellendale since 2015, this page uses Steele County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 18.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 4.9%.
November through March accounts for 54.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (9.6%).
42.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ellendale since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-13 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 6 crashes, 1.6% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Ellendale fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 42.2% 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
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-13 | 2 |
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 |
Ellendale at a glance
| Population | 658 |
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Density | 789 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56026) | $100,169 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56026) | $232,698 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ellendale
How many truck crashes happen in Ellendale?
Steele County has had 387 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 120 people and killing 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Ellendale?
Truck crashes in Steele County peak in December, with 18.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ellendale?
Since 2015, Steele County has reported 6 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Ellendale compare with Minnesota?
Steele County records 87.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ellendale?
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.