ZIP 56701 (Thief River Falls, MN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 56701: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Pennington 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 35 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pennington County compares with Minnesota
Pennington County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pennington County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pennington County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 23.3 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 40% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.9× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.71 | 0.37 | 0.49 | 1.9× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.7% | 25.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.4% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 13% below the state |
| After dark | 8.6% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 58% below the state |
Pennington County has lower values than Minnesota for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Pennington County: 8.6 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.0 in Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 35 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Pennington County. They injured 25 people and killed 3.
That averages about one truck crash every 115 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (17.1% of the year) and are lowest in July (2.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.0% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 20.0% of truck crashes.
25.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 56701 since 2015: SR-1 (2) and US-59 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
FMCSA lists no garbage-truck crashes in Pennington County since 2015.
Route planning tips for ZIP 56701 fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Pennington County.
- 31.4% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Minnesota; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Pennington County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-1 | 2 |
| US-59 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pennington County) |
|---|---|
| Center St | 4 |
| Mnth 1 | 4 |
| Usth 59 | 4 |
| Csah 10 | 2 |
| Hwy | 2 |
| Mnth 32 | 2 |
| 170Th Ave Ne | 1 |
| 190Th St Ne | 1 |
ZIP 56701 at a glance
| Population | 12,705 |
| Density | 13 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $78,599 |
| Median home value | $197,388 |
| Home ownership | 71% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pennington 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 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 4 | +146% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 4 | +0% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 2 | -42% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 2 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 56701
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 56701?
35 truck crashes have been reported in Pennington County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 25 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 56701?
The worst month is August: 17.1% of truck crashes in Pennington County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 56701?
Since 2015, Pennington County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 56701 compare with Minnesota for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Pennington County has 23.3 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 56701?
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.