Meriden, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Meriden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Meriden and Cherokee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cherokee County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 153 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cherokee County compares with Iowa
Cherokee County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cherokee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cherokee County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 114.6 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 60% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.62 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 38% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.0% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 9% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 32.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.4× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.9% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 28% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.3% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.7% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 32% below the state |
Cherokee County sits below Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Cherokee County: 1.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Iowa: 3.5).
Overview
Since 2015, 153 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Cherokee County. They injured 93 people and killed 3.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 27 days.
Meriden had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Cherokee County numbers.
59% of truck crash reports in Cherokee County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is November with 12.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is June at 3.9%.
November through March accounts for 48.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (9.8%).
Road surface: 17.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Meriden since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-3 (1) and US-59 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.3% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Meriden fleets
- Plan November schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cherokee County.
- 32.6% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Iowa; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Cherokee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-3 | 1 |
| US-59 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cherokee County) |
|---|---|
| US-59 | 17 |
| Ia 3 | 8 |
| State 3/Iowa 3 | 8 |
| L036/D Ave | 4 |
| L051/L Ave | 4 |
| Main St | 3 |
| M021/W Ave | 3 |
| F Ave | 3 |
Meriden at a glance
| Population | 175 |
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,549 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51037) | $58,958 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51037) | $216,859 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cherokee 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 | 3 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 8 | +119% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 13 | +69% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 14 | +8% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Meriden
How many truck crashes happen in Meriden?
Since 2015, 153 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cherokee County (93 injured, 3 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Meriden?
Truck crashes in Cherokee County peak in November, with 12.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Meriden?
Since 2015, Cherokee County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Meriden compared with Iowa?
Cherokee County records 114.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Meriden?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.