Wheaton, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wheaton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wheaton 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.
The headline for 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.
With 7 truck crashes reported in Wheaton since 2015, this page uses Traverse County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (14.6% of the year) and are lowest in June (0.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 31.6% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (17.1%).
10.5% 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 Wheaton since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-76 650Th St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.9% share (Minnesota: 2.8%).
Route planning tips for Wheaton fleets
- Review driver schedules for May, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 |
Wheaton at a glance
| Population | 1,334 |
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Density | 768 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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wheaton
How common are truck crashes in Wheaton?
41 truck crashes have been reported in Traverse County since 2015, with 2 deaths and 28 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Wheaton?
Truck crashes in Traverse County peak in May, with 14.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Wheaton?
Since 2015, Traverse County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Wheaton compared with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 110.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Traverse County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wheaton?
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.