ZIP 56531 (Elbow Lake, MN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 56531: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Grant 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 of 112 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Grant County compares with Minnesota
Grant County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Grant County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Grant County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 162.2 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 4.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 28.4% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 22% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.6% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 18% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.9% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 30.3% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Grant County sits below Minnesota on garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Minnesota on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Grant County: 0 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.0%, vs 2.8% in Minnesota.
Overview
Grant County has recorded 112 truck crashes since 2015, with 48 people injured and 4 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 37 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in April (14.3% of the year) and are lowest in June (2.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.9% of truck crashes, against 46.2% across Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
Road surface: 28.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 56531 happened on I-94 (1) and SR-79 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for Grant County.
Route planning tips for ZIP 56531 fleets
- Plan April schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Grant County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 28.4% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter 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 Grant County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 1 |
| SR-79 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Grant County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 94 | 52 |
| Mnth 27 | 7 |
| Usth 59 | 6 |
| Mnth 54 | 4 |
| Mnth 9 | 4 |
| Csah 1 | 2 |
| Csah 2 | 2 |
| Division St | 2 |
ZIP 56531 at a glance
| Population | 2,063 |
| Density | 5 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $74,583 |
| Median home value | $157,532 |
| Home ownership | 75% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Grant 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 | 3 | — | 0.0 |
| 2000s | 7 | +114% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 8 | +27% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 10 | +22% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 3 a year in the 1990s and 10 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 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 56531
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 56531?
112 truck crashes have been reported in Grant County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 48 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 56531?
April has the most truck crashes in Grant County, 14.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 56531?
Garbage trucks were involved in 0 reported crashes in Grant County since 2015 (0.0% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 56531 compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 162.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Grant County, vs 39.0 for Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 56531?
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.