Petersburg, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Petersburg: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Petersburg and Nelson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Nelson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 49 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Nelson County compares with North Dakota
Nelson County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Nelson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Nelson County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 148.1 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 2.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.0 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 51% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.33 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 30.6% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 11% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 14.3% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 37% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.2% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 24% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 36.7% | 47.2% | 41.9% | 22% below the state |
| After dark | 22.4% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Nelson County sits below North Dakota on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in Nelson County: October 20.4% of truck crashes happen in October, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 49 crashes involving commercial trucks in Nelson County since 2015: 17 people were injured and 1 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 82 days.
With 3 truck crashes reported in Petersburg since 2015, this page uses Nelson County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
84% of truck crash reports in Nelson County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 20.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 2.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 36.7% of truck crashes, vs 47.2% for North Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (16.3%).
Road surface: 30.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (North Dakota: 34.4%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Petersburg since 2015: US-2 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for Nelson County.
Route planning tips for Petersburg fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Nelson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-2 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Nelson County) |
|---|---|
| 110Th Ave Ne | 1 |
| 34Th St Ne | 1 |
| US-2 | 1 |
Petersburg at a glance
| Population | 159 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 155 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58272) | $76,875 |
| Median home value (ZIP 58272) | $109,426 |
Historical data: truck crashes in Nelson 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 | 4 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 1 | -85% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 4 | +550% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 5 | +28% | 0.0 |
In the 1990s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 5. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Petersburg
How common are truck crashes in Petersburg?
Nelson County has had 49 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 17 people and killing 1.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Petersburg?
October has the most truck crashes in Nelson County, 20.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Petersburg?
Since 2015, Nelson County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Petersburg compared with North Dakota?
Per 100,000 residents, Nelson County has 148.1 truck crashes a year; North Dakota has 73.9.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Petersburg?
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.