West Branch, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in West Branch: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in West Branch and Cedar County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cedar County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 592 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cedar County compares with Iowa
Cedar County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cedar County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cedar County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 273.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 4.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 10% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 41% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 26.2% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 24.8% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 1.6× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 53.0% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 29.1% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Cedar County sits below Iowa on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Cedar County: 24.8% in rain, sleet or snow, against 15.1% across Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 592 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cedar County since 2015: 221 people were injured and 20 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
Only 24 truck crashes were reported in West Branch since 2015; patterns below come from Cedar County as a whole.
77% of truck crash reports in Cedar County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 14.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.1%.
November through March accounts for 53.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 4–5 pm than at any other hour (7.4%).
26.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of West Branch is I-80, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by CR-F062 130Th St (1), CR-F08/MORSE Rd (1) and SR-1 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.2% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for West Branch fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cedar County.
- Look at alternatives to I-80 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 26.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Iowa; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Cedar County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 9 |
| CR-F062 130Th St | 1 |
| CR-F08/MORSE Rd | 1 |
| SR-1 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cedar County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 51 |
| Interstate 80/I 80 | 24 |
| US-30 | 12 |
| Ia 38 | 7 |
| I80 Wb 255.35 | 5 |
| I 80 W / Mm 276 | 5 |
| I 80 W Mm 257 | 4 |
| I 80 W Mm 265.3 | 4 |
West Branch at a glance
| Population | 2,876 |
| Land area | 2.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,119 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52358) | $91,686 |
| Median home value (ZIP 52358) | $235,290 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cedar 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 | 19 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 37 | +90% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 36 | -2% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 55 | +52% | 1.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 19 a year in the 1990s and 55 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about West Branch
How many truck crashes happen in West Branch?
Cedar County has had 592 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 221 people and killing 20.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in West Branch?
I-80 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of West Branch since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in West Branch?
The worst month is January: 14.0% of truck crashes in Cedar County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in West Branch?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Cedar County since 2015, 1.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in West Branch compared with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 273.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cedar County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in West Branch?
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.