Dakota, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dakota: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dakota and Winona County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Winona County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 323 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Winona County compares with Minnesota
Winona County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Winona County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Winona County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 55.1 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 18% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 35.0% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.4% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.2% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 30.4% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Winona County sits below Minnesota on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Winona County: 30.4% after dark, against 20.3% across Minnesota.
Overview
Winona County has recorded 323 truck crashes since 2015, with 111 people injured and 12 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 13 days.
Only 12 truck crashes were reported in Dakota since 2015; patterns below come from Winona County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 12.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is August at 5.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 46.2% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 8.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 35.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Dakota since 2015: I-90 (2), US-61 (2), Airport Rd (1), CR-SN (1) and Saint James St (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 7 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Route planning tips for Dakota fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 35.0% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Winona County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-90 | 2 |
| US-61 | 2 |
| Airport Rd | 1 |
| CR-SN | 1 |
| Saint James St | 1 |
| US-53 | 1 |
| Us-Usth 61 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Winona County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 90 | 158 |
| Usth 61 | 29 |
| Usth 14 | 13 |
| Mnth 43 | 7 |
| Whitewater Ave | 6 |
| US-61 | 5 |
| Csah 25 | 4 |
| Mnth 74 | 4 |
Dakota at a glance
| Population | 290 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 523 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55925) | $92,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55925) | $283,971 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Winona 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 | 20 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 36 | +81% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 25 | -30% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 29 | +15% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 20 a year in the 1990s and 29 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dakota
How many truck accidents are there in Dakota?
323 truck crashes have been reported in Winona County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 111 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dakota?
The worst month is December: 12.1% of truck crashes in Winona County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Dakota?
Garbage trucks were involved in 7 reported crashes in Winona County since 2015 (2.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Dakota compare with Minnesota?
Winona County records 55.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Dakota?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.