Atlantic, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Atlantic: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Atlantic and Cass County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cass County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 388 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cass County compares with Iowa
Cass County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cass County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cass County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 245.0 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 3.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.4% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.1% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.1% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.3% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 41.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.8× the state |
Compared with Iowa, Cass County is lower on garbage-truck share. It runs above Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
Cass County at a glance: 0 crashes involve a garbage truck (0 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 388 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cass County since 2015: 178 people were injured and 24 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 11 days.
With 21 truck crashes reported in Atlantic since 2015, this page uses Cass County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
76% of truck crash reports in Cass County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (14.7% of the year) and are lowest in December (5.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 49.3% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 6.4% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.4% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by US-6 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Since 2015, no garbage-truck crashes were reported for Cass County.
Route planning tips for Atlantic fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 25.4% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; 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
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 Cass County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 3 |
| US-6 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cass County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 37 |
| Interstate 80/I 80 | 10 |
| I 80 Wb Mm59 | 5 |
| Olive St | 4 |
| I 80 W 59Mm | 4 |
| I 80 E 60Mm | 3 |
| Us 6/White Pole Rd | 3 |
| US-71 | 3 |
Atlantic at a glance
| Population | 6,717 |
| Land area | 8.3 sq mi |
| Density | 810 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50022) | $63,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50022) | $157,917 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cass 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 | 16 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 15 | -2% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 26 | +69% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 36 | +36% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 16 a year in the 1990s and 36 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Atlantic
How many truck crashes happen in Atlantic?
Since 2015, 388 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cass County (178 injured, 24 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Atlantic?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Atlantic: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Atlantic?
January has the most truck crashes in Cass County, 14.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Atlantic?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Cass County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Atlantic compared with Iowa?
Cass County records 245.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Atlantic?
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.