Elm River, ND truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elm River: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elm River and Traill County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Traill County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 180 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Traill County compares with North Dakota
Traill County against North Dakota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Traill County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Traill County | North Dakota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 194.6 | 73.9 | 49.7 | 2.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 29% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 43.9% | 34.4% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.3% | 22.7% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.9% | 16.2% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 55.0% | 47.2% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 23.4% | 24.7% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with North Dakota, Traill County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share. It runs above North Dakota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
Traill County at a glance: 0 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.0%, vs 0.9% in North Dakota.
Overview
Traill County has recorded 180 truck crashes since 2015, with 60 people injured and 5 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 23 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Elm River since 2015; patterns below come from Traill County as a whole.
92% of truck crash reports in Traill County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (12.8% of the year) and are lowest in July (3.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 55.0% of truck crashes, against 47.2% across North Dakota.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (11.8%).
43.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 34.4% across North Dakota.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Elm River happened on I-29 (2) and CR-81 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Traill County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Elm River fleets
- Build extra time into March routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.3% of truck crashes here, more than North Dakota; adjust start times where you can.
- With 43.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Dakota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Traill County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 2 |
| CR-81 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Traill County) |
|---|---|
| 13Th St Ne | 2 |
| 14Th St Ne | 2 |
| 148Th Ave Ne | 1 |
| 151St Ave Ne | 1 |
| 152Nd Ave Se | 1 |
| 159Th Ave Ne | 1 |
| 172Nd Ave Ne | 1 |
| 1St St Ne | 1 |
Elm River at a glance
| Population | 30 |
| Land area | 29.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 58038) | $112,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 58038) | $201,888 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Traill 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 | 8 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 4 | -47% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 12 | +205% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 16 | +27% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 16 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elm River
How many truck accidents are there in Elm River?
180 truck crashes have been reported in Traill County since 2015, with 5 deaths and 60 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Elm River?
March has the most truck crashes in Traill County, 12.8% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Elm River?
Since 2015, Traill County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Elm River compared with North Dakota?
The yearly rate is 194.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Traill County, vs 73.9 for North Dakota.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Elm River?
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.