Ralston, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ralston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ralston and Carroll County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Carroll County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 132 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Carroll County compares with Iowa
Carroll County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carroll County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Carroll County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 20% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 25% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.8% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 48% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.5% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 19% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.0% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 14% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.8% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 14.6% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 37% below the state |
Carroll County has lower values than Iowa for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and winter months (nov–mar).
What stands out in Carroll County: December 13.6% of truck crashes happen in December, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 132 crashes involving commercial trucks in Carroll County since 2015: 69 people were injured and 7 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 33 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Ralston since 2015, this page uses Carroll County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
48% of truck crash reports in Carroll County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 13.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 3.8%.
November through March accounts for 48.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (13.6%).
9.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ralston since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 1.5%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Ralston fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Carroll 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 (Carroll County) |
|---|---|
| US-30 | 20 |
| US-71 | 5 |
| Ia 141 | 4 |
| Lynx Ave And Us 71 And State 1 | 3 |
| Delta Ave | 3 |
| 150Th Street & Noble Ave; Cont | 2 |
| 3Rd St | 2 |
| E016/120Th St | 2 |
Ralston at a glance
| Population | 76 |
| Land area | 2.0 sq mi |
| Density | 39 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51459) | $63,333 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51459) | $61,550 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Carroll 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 | 5 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 7 | +44% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 11 | +54% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 11 | -5% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 11 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ralston
How common are truck crashes in Ralston?
Carroll County has had 132 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 69 people and killing 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Ralston?
The worst month is December: 13.6% of truck crashes in Carroll County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ralston?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Carroll County since 2015 (1.5% of truck crashes).
How does Ralston compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Carroll County has 54.8 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Ralston?
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.