ZIP 55731 (Ely, MN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 55731: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Lake 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
2 of 48 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Lake County compares with Minnesota
Lake County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 37.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.5% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 45.5% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.7% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 34.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 65.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.4× the state |
| After dark | 18.2% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 10% below the state |
Compared with Minnesota, Lake County is lower on morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Lake County: December worst month: 20.8% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 48 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lake County. They injured 19 people and killed 2.
That averages about one truck crash every 91 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 20.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 0.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 65.9% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (14.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 45.5% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of ZIP 55731 since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 4.2%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Route planning tips for ZIP 55731 fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- With 45.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Minnesota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Lake 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 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| Mnth 61 | 18 |
| 11Th St | 2 |
| Csah 2 | 2 |
| Hwy | 2 |
| National Forest Hwy 7 | 2 |
| National Forest Hwy 9 | 2 |
| SR-2 | 2 |
| 23Rd Ave | 1 |
ZIP 55731 at a glance
| Population | 5,361 |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $62,008 |
| Median home value | $206,804 |
| Home ownership | 75% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | 2 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 6 | +275% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 4 | -30% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 4 | -11% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 4. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 55731
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 55731?
Lake County has had 48 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 19 people and killing 2.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 55731?
Truck crashes in Lake County peak in December, with 20.8% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 55731?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Lake County since 2015 (4.2% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 55731 compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 37.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 55731?
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.