Little Elk, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Little Elk: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Little Elk and Todd County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Todd County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 174 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Todd County compares with Minnesota
Todd County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Todd County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Todd County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 57.1 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 33.7% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.4% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 32% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.8% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 27.0% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Todd County sits below Minnesota on morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Todd County: January worst month: 13.8% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Todd County has recorded 174 truck crashes since 2015, with 88 people injured and 5 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 25 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Little Elk since 2015; patterns below come from Todd County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 13.8% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (3.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 52.8% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 33.7% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Little Elk since 2015: SR-27 (1) and US-10 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 2.9% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Little Elk fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Todd County.
- 33.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Minnesota; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Todd County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-27 | 1 |
| US-10 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Todd County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 94 | 46 |
| Usth 71 | 23 |
| Mnth 27 | 10 |
| Usth 10 | 7 |
| Mnth 210 | 7 |
| Csah 11 | 6 |
| Hwy | 5 |
| Cr-89 | 3 |
Little Elk at a glance
| Population | 276 |
| Land area | 34.8 sq mi |
| Density | 8 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56438) | $62,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56438) | $202,462 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Todd 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 | 4 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 13 | +211% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 13 | -4% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 17 | +31% | 0.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 17. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Little Elk
How common are truck crashes in Little Elk?
174 truck crashes have been reported in Todd County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 88 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Little Elk?
The worst month is January: 13.8% of truck crashes in Todd County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Little Elk?
Since 2015, Todd County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.9% of its truck crashes.
How does Little Elk compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 57.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Todd County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Little Elk?
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.