Dickens, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dickens: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dickens and Clay County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Clay County numbers.
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 sits below Iowa on 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.
Clay County at a glance: 1 in 108 crashes involve a garbage truck (2 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Iowa.
Overview
Since 2015, 119 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Clay County. They injured 54 people and killed 7.
That averages about one truck crash every 37 days in fully reported years.
Dickens had 4 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Clay County numbers.
36% of truck crash reports in Clay County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is April with 11.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 5.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.4% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (10.9%).
Road surface: 22.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Dickens since 2015 were spread across roads: US-18 (1) and US-71 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.7% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Dickens fleets
- Review driver schedules for April, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 26.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Iowa; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 22.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Iowa), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Clay County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-18 | 1 |
| US-71 | 1 |
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 |
Dickens at a glance
| Population | 146 |
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Density | 175 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51333) | $110,833 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51333) | $215,501 |
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 large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dickens
How many truck crashes happen in Dickens?
119 truck crashes have been reported in Clay County since 2015, with 7 deaths and 54 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Dickens?
Truck crashes in Clay County peak in April, with 11.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Dickens?
Since 2015, Clay County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Dickens compare with Iowa?
Clay County records 59.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Dickens?
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.