South Branch, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in South Branch: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in South Branch and Watonwan County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Watonwan County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 155 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Watonwan County compares with Minnesota
Watonwan County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Watonwan County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Watonwan County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 118.5 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 3.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 30% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.51 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 51% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.3% | 25.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.7% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.4% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 25% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.5% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Minnesota, Watonwan County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr and injuries per crash.
The headline for Watonwan County: 1 in 73 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.4%, against 2.8% for Minnesota.
Overview
Watonwan County has recorded 155 truck crashes since 2015, with 77 people injured and 4 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 28 days.
South Branch had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Watonwan County numbers.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 13.5% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (3.9%).
November through March accounts for 45.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (11.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.3% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of South Branch since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.3% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for South Branch fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, 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
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 Watonwan County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Watonwan County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 60 | 56 |
| Mnth 15 | 26 |
| Hwy | 8 |
| Mnth 4 | 4 |
| 10Th St | 3 |
| 7Th Ave | 3 |
| Mnth 30 | 3 |
| 250Th St | 2 |
South Branch at a glance
| Population | 252 |
| Land area | 39.1 sq mi |
| Density | 6 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56060) | $80,093 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Watonwan 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 | 3 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 7 | +158% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 11 | +49% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 14 | +29% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 14. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about South Branch
How common are truck crashes in South Branch?
Since 2015, 155 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Watonwan County (77 injured, 4 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in South Branch?
March has the most truck crashes in Watonwan County, 13.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in South Branch?
Since 2015, Watonwan County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in South Branch compared with Minnesota?
The yearly rate is 118.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Watonwan County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in South Branch?
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.