Clay County, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Clay County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 119 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Clay County compares with Iowa
Clay County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Clay County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Clay County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 59.6 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 57% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 22.2% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.3% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 45% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.6% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Clay County has lower values than Iowa for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Clay County: 1 in 108 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.9%, vs 2.2% in Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 119 crashes involving commercial trucks in Clay County since 2015: 54 people were injured and 7 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 37 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
April has the most truck crashes, 11.8% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (5.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.4% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 10.9% of truck crashes.
22.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Clay County happened on US-18 (2) and US-71 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.7% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Clay County fleets
- Review driver schedules for April, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.9% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; adjust start times where you can.
- 22.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Iowa; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Clay County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Clay County) |
|---|---|
| US-18 | 2 |
| US-71 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Clay County) |
|---|---|
| US-71 | 10 |
| US-18 | 7 |
| Us 71 And B019/320Th St And Us | 6 |
| 130Th Ave | 4 |
| 310Th Ave | 2 |
| 430Th St And 310Th Ave | 2 |
| Ave And Us 18 | 2 |
| E 4Th St And Us 18/N Grand Ave | 2 |
Clay County at a glance
| Population | 16,474 |
| Land area | 567.2 sq mi |
| Density | 29 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $66,425 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Clay 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 | 4 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 10 | +121% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 11 | +16% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 10 | -14% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 10. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Clay County
ZIP codes in Clay County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Clay County
How many truck accidents are there in Clay County?
Since 2015, 119 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Clay County (54 injured, 7 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Clay County?
Truck crashes in Clay County peak in April, with 11.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Clay County?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Clay County since 2015, 1.7% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Clay County compare with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Clay County has 59.6 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Clay County?
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.