BLUFFTON TWP, Otter Tail County, Minn., Sept. 24, 2026 — Two people were hurt on Tuesday night, September 22, when an SUV and a semi truck collided at the intersection of Highway 10 and County Road 75 in Bluffton Township, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
The report says a 2020 Toyota Highlander was headed south on County Road 75 and stopped at the intersection with Highway 10. A 2026 Freightliner semi was traveling east on Highway 10 when the two vehicles collided in the intersection. The crash happened around 8 p.m. on a dry roadway.
The Highlander's driver, a 77-year-old man from Glenwood, Minnesota, was taken to Astera Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. His passenger, a 77-year-old woman also from Glenwood, was first treated at Astera Hospital and then airlifted to a hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, investigators said. The semi driver, a 60-year-old man from Little Falls, Minnesota, was not injured.
Wadena Police, the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office and Astera Ambulance responded to the scene. The state patrol listed the crash information as believed complete, though the cause has not been detailed publicly and remains under review.
We hope everyone who was hurt makes a full and speedy recovery.
Why Intersection Crashes Between Cars and Semis Turn Out So Badly
A semi loaded for highway travel can weigh 20 times what a passenger SUV weighs. When the two meet at an intersection, the smaller vehicle absorbs most of the change in speed and direction, because the truck's mass barely slows down on impact. The SUV's frame and crumple zones are built to manage a crash with another car of similar weight, not with a vehicle that outweighs it by tens of thousands of pounds.
Seatbelts and airbags work by controlling how a body decelerates over a fraction of a second. They cannot change how much force comes into the vehicle in the first place. In a heavy mismatch like a car-versus-semi collision, the smaller vehicle's occupants can still be thrown hard against the interior even with every safety system working as designed.
Distraction plays a role in many intersection crashes because it eats up the two or three seconds a driver has to see a hazard and react. A truck moving 55 mph covers more than 80 feet a second. A driver looking at a phone, adjusting a radio, or simply not scanning the intersection loses exactly the window needed to brake, swerve, or judge whether it's safe to proceed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do most traffic crashes happen?
A large share of serious crashes occur at intersections, where vehicles cross paths, turn, or stop and start, creating more opportunities for a collision than on open stretches of road.
What can drivers do to lower their crash risk?
Slowing down at intersections, checking cross-traffic even with the right-of-way, and avoiding phone use while driving all cut down on the reaction-time problems that lead to collisions.
What injuries commonly result from car accidents?
Common injuries include fractures, head and neck injuries, and internal injuries, with severity usually tied to the size and speed difference between the vehicles involved.
What typically causes car accidents?
Distraction, failure to yield, speeding, and misjudging another vehicle's speed or path are frequent factors cited in crash reports.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Bluffton Township, Minnesota
Anyone involved in a crash should get checked by a medical provider even if injuries seem minor at first, since some symptoms take hours to appear. Keep records of hospital visits, treatment, and any contact from law enforcement.
Report the crash to your insurance company promptly and request a copy of the official crash report once it's available. If you were a passenger or driver involved, write down what you remember while it's fresh, including the time, weather, and traffic conditions at the intersection. Reach out to local support services if you need help coping with the aftermath.
