Lake Hester, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Lake Hester: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Lake Hester and McHenry County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use McHenry County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 94 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How McHenry County compares with North Dakota
McHenry County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where McHenry County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | McHenry County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 152.3 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 2.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.26 | 0.33 | 0.49 | 21% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 2.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 29.1% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 15% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.8% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 13% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.6% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 28% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.9% | 47.2% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 29.1% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
McHenry County sits below North Dakota on injuries per crash, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above North Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
McHenry County at a glance: 1 in 43 garbage-truck share of crashes is 2.3%, against 0.9% for North Dakota.
Overview
McHenry County has recorded 94 truck crashes since 2015, with 23 people injured and 5 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 47 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Lake Hester since 2015, this page uses McHenry County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
76% of truck crash reports in McHenry County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (13.8% of the year) and are lowest in July (3.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 41.9% of truck crashes, against 47.2% across North Dakota.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 13.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 29.1% of truck crashes, compared with 34.4% in North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Lake Hester since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 3.2%, compared with 0.9% in North Dakota.
Route planning tips for Lake Hester fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, 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 McHenry 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 (McHenry County) |
|---|---|
| 11Th Ave | 2 |
| 44Th St | 2 |
| SR-41 | 2 |
| US-52 | 2 |
| 40Th St Ne | 1 |
| 44Th St Ne | 1 |
| 50Th St | 1 |
| 66Th St | 1 |
Lake Hester at a glance
| Population | 46 |
| Land area | 35.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58792) | $105,221 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in McHenry 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 | 5 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 3 | -39% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 9 | +214% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 8 | -7% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 8 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Lake Hester
How many truck accidents are there in Lake Hester?
McHenry County has had 94 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 23 people and killing 5.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake Hester?
February has the most truck crashes in McHenry County, 13.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Lake Hester?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in McHenry County since 2015, 3.2% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Lake Hester compare with North Dakota?
The yearly rate is 152.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in McHenry County, vs 73.9 for North Dakota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Lake Hester?
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.