ZIP 56542 (Fosston, MN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 56542: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Polk 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
3 of 210 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Polk County compares with Minnesota
Polk County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 57.4 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.8 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 44% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 28.1% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 26% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.8% | 46.2% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.2% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Polk County has lower values than Minnesota for garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Polk County: 7.8 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.0 in Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 210 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 107 people and killed 15.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 21 days.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 16.2% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (3.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.8% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 13.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 28.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Minnesota: 25.6%).
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 56542 since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Route planning tips for ZIP 56542 fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 28.1% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Polk 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 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 2 | 48 |
| Usth 75 | 16 |
| Mnth 220 | 6 |
| Hwy | 6 |
| 170Th St Sw | 5 |
| Gateway Dr Nw | 5 |
| 150Th St Sw | 4 |
| 430Th St Se | 4 |
ZIP 56542 at a glance
| Population | 2,486 |
| Density | 5 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $59,706 |
| Median home value | $186,166 |
| Home ownership | 68% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 17 | +114% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 18 | +3% | 1.4 |
| 2020s | 17 | -4% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 17 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 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 56542
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 56542?
Polk County has had 210 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 107 people and killing 15.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 56542?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in October, with 16.2% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 56542?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 56542 compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 57.4 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 56542?
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.