ZIP 55121 (Saint Paul, MN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 55121: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Dakota County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
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 2.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Dakota County compares with Minnesota
Dakota County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dakota County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dakota County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 35.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 9% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 27% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 22% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.5% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.1% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.8% | 19.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.7% | 20.3% | 24.8% | same |
Dakota County sits below Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in ZIP 55121: SR-55 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 55121: 4 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 1,906 crashes involving commercial trucks in Dakota County since 2015: 599 people were injured and 40 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.2% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.4%).
Road surface: 20.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
SR-55 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 55121 with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-35 (3), I-494 (3) and SR-13 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 73 of the truck crashes here, or 3.8%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Their busiest month is September, with 16% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 55121 fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Dakota County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-55 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in September; review collection routes for that month.
- 30.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Minnesota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Dakota County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-55 | 4 |
| I-35 | 3 |
| I-494 | 3 |
| SR-13 | 2 |
| Baillif Pl | 1 |
| CR-152 Cedar Ave S | 1 |
| CR-28 Yankee Doodle Rd | 1 |
| CR-31 Pilot Knob Rd | 1 |
| CR-36 University Ave Se | 1 |
| CR-38A Maxwell Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dakota County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 494 | 135 |
| Usth 52 | 109 |
| I-35 | 76 |
| Mnth 13 | 53 |
| Mnth 55 | 49 |
| Coates Blvd | 35 |
| Cedar Ave | 31 |
| 160Th St | 30 |
ZIP 55121 at a glance
| Population | 9,198 |
| Density | 370 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $87,152 |
| Median home value | $283,691 |
| Home ownership | 41% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dakota 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 | 29 | — | 3.1 |
| 2000s | 144 | +399% | 2.9 |
| 2010s | 158 | +10% | 2.5 |
| 2020s | 152 | -4% | 3.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 29 to 152. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.2 a year in 2016–19, 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 55121
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 55121?
1,906 truck crashes have been reported in Dakota County since 2015, with 40 deaths and 599 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 55121?
Since 2015, SR-55 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 55121: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 55121?
The worst month is December: 10.5% of truck crashes in Dakota County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 55121?
Since 2015, Dakota County has reported 73 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.8% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 55121 compare with Minnesota?
Dakota County records 35.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 55121?
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.