Polk City, FL truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polk City: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Polk City and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2.3 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 4.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Florida
Polk County against Florida 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 | Florida | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.4 | 37.4 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.51 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 3.8% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 0.0% | 0.1% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.2% | 25.2% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.9% | 8.9% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 42.1% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.4% | 24.2% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Polk County has lower values than Florida for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
Polk City at a glance: I-4 deadliest road: 9 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Polk City since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 5,582 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 3,056 people were injured and 257 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
Only 107 truck crashes were reported in Polk City since 2015; patterns below come from Polk County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in March (10.4% of the year) and are lowest in June (7.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.1% for Florida.
By time of day, 6–7 am stands out with 7.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 0.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Florida: 0.1%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Polk City is I-4, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-92 (8), SR-33 (4) and SR-659 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 138 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 3.8% in Florida.
Their busiest month is February, with 13% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.3 deaths compared with 4.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Polk City fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- Check whether your routes use I-4, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: February is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-4 | 9 |
| US-92 | 8 |
| SR-33 | 4 |
| SR-659 | 4 |
| CR-557 | 2 |
| CR-546 | 1 |
| CR-557A | 1 |
| CR-582 | 1 |
| Deen Still Rd | 1 |
| Mu-Old Polk City Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| SR-60 | 431 |
| SR-27 | 354 |
| US-27 | 160 |
| US-98 | 158 |
| Sr25 (Highway 27) | 139 |
| US-92 | 128 |
| I-4 | 115 |
| SR-98 | 92 |
Polk City at a glance
| Population | 3,076 |
| Land area | 4.5 sq mi |
| Density | 683 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 33868) | $74,289 |
| Median home value (ZIP 33868) | $245,998 |
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 | 96 | — | 18.1 |
| 2000s | 258 | +167% | 19.4 |
| 2010s | 319 | +24% | 14.2 |
| 2020s | 539 | +69% | 21.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 96 a year in the 1990s and 539 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 18.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 21.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Polk City
How many truck crashes happen in Polk City?
Polk County has had 5,582 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,056 people and killing 257.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Polk City?
Since 2015, I-4 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Polk City: 9.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk City?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in March, with 10.4% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Polk City?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 138 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Polk City compare with Florida?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 56.4 truck crashes a year; Florida has 37.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Polk City?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.