Howard Lake, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Howard Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Howard Lake and Wright County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Wright County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Wright County compares with Minnesota
Wright County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wright County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wright County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.5 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 13% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.46 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 22% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.0% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.5% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 26.5% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.3% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.5% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Wright County has lower values than Minnesota for deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Wright County: 26.5% share of truck crashes in rain, sleet or snow (Minnesota: 19.1%).
Overview
Police reported 975 crashes involving commercial trucks in Wright County since 2015: 441 people were injured and 25 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
With 23 truck crashes reported in Howard Lake since 2015, this page uses Wright County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (7.1%).
November through March accounts for 44.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 46.2% in Minnesota.
By time of day, 9–10 am stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 30.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Howard Lake since 2015 were spread across roads: US-12 (2) and CR-6 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 25 crashes, 2.6% of the total, against 2.8% across Minnesota.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in March (20% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Howard Lake fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Wright County.
- Morning starts matter: 31.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Minnesota.
- 30.0% 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 Wright County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-12 | 2 |
| CR-6 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wright County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 94 | 424 |
| Mnth 55 | 28 |
| Usth 12 | 24 |
| Mnth 24 | 24 |
| Mnth 25 | 16 |
| 10Th Ave | 12 |
| Mnth 101 | 10 |
| Pine St | 9 |
Howard Lake at a glance
| Population | 2,247 |
| Land area | 1.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,213 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55349) | $99,444 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55349) | $321,477 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wright 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 | 10 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 58 | +463% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 63 | +8% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 94 | +49% | 2.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 10 to 94. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Howard Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Howard Lake?
Since 2015, 975 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Wright County (441 injured, 25 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Howard Lake?
The worst month is February: 9.9% of truck crashes in Wright County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Howard Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 25 reported crashes in Wright County since 2015 (2.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Howard Lake compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Wright County has 53.5 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Howard Lake?
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.