Lake Valley, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake Valley: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lake Valley and Traverse County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Traverse County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 41 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Traverse County compares with Minnesota
Traverse County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Traverse County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Traverse County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 110.2 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 2.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.3 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.74 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 2.0× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.5% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.4% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 32% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.2% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 31% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 31.6% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 32% below the state |
| After dark | 10.5% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 48% below the state |
Traverse County has lower values than Minnesota for on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Traverse County: 1 in 19 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 2.8% across Minnesota.
Overview
Traverse County has recorded 41 truck crashes since 2015, with 28 people injured and 2 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 106 days.
Lake Valley had 4 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Traverse County numbers.
When crashes happen
May has the most truck crashes, 14.6% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (0.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 31.6% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 17.1% of truck crashes.
10.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Lake Valley happened on CR-76 650Th St (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 4.9% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Lake Valley fleets
- Build extra time into May routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Traverse County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-76 650Th St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Traverse County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 27 | 7 |
| Hwy | 5 |
| 590Th St | 4 |
| Mnth 9 | 4 |
| Usth 75 | 4 |
| Broadway Ave | 3 |
| 2Nd Ave | 2 |
| Csah 4 | 2 |
Lake Valley at a glance
| Population | 194 |
| Land area | 59.0 sq mi |
| Density | 3 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56296) | $53,527 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56296) | $102,247 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Traverse 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 | 1 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 2 | +317% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 3 | +16% | 0.0 |
| 2020s | 3 | -2% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 1 truck crash a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 3. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lake Valley
How many truck crashes happen in Lake Valley?
Since 2015, 41 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Traverse County (28 injured, 2 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Lake Valley?
May has the most truck crashes in Traverse County, 14.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Lake Valley?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Traverse County since 2015, 4.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Lake Valley compare with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 110.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Traverse County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lake Valley?
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.