Meriden, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Meriden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Meriden 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 |
Steele County sits below Minnesota 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.
What stands out in Steele County: December worst month: 18.6% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Steele County has recorded 387 truck crashes since 2015, with 120 people injured and 7 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
Only 9 truck crashes were reported in Meriden since 2015; patterns below come from Steele County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 18.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 4.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 54.2% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 9.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 42.2% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Meriden since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-1 Cedar Ave (1), CR-17 (1), CR-7 Lemond Rd (1), North St (1) and SR-13 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 1.6%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Meriden 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.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
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) |
|---|---|
| CR-1 Cedar Ave | 1 |
| CR-17 | 1 |
| CR-7 Lemond Rd | 1 |
| North St | 1 |
| SR-13 | 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 |
Meriden at a glance
| Population | 598 |
| Land area | 36.1 sq mi |
| Density | 17 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55060) | $84,906 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55060) | $253,379 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 19 a year in the 1990s and 34 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Meriden
How many truck accidents are there in Meriden?
387 truck crashes have been reported in Steele County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 120 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Meriden?
December has the most truck crashes in Steele County, 18.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Meriden?
Garbage trucks were involved in 6 reported crashes in Steele County since 2015 (1.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Meriden compared 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 Meriden?
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.