Elkader, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elkader: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elkader and Clayton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Clayton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 120 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Clayton County compares with Iowa
Clayton County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Clayton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Clayton County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.7 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 9% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.44 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 20% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.8% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.1% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.2% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 20% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 12% below the state |
| After dark | 13.9% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 40% below the state |
Compared with Iowa, Clayton County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Clayton County: July the month with the most truck crashes: 13.3% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 120 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Clayton County. They injured 55 people and killed 6.
That averages about one truck crash every 35 days in fully reported years.
Only 5 truck crashes were reported in Elkader since 2015; patterns below come from Clayton County as a whole.
59% of truck crash reports in Clayton County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 13.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 4.2%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.0% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 11.7% of truck crashes.
14.8% 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 within 10 miles of Elkader happened on SR-13 (1); no road leads clearly.
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 Elkader fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 26.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Iowa; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Clayton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-13 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Clayton County) |
|---|---|
| US-52 | 12 |
| State 13/Iowa 13 | 9 |
| US-18 | 9 |
| Ia 13 | 8 |
| 100Th St | 3 |
| Dogwood Ave | 2 |
| East Mission Rd | 2 |
| Echo Ave | 2 |
Elkader at a glance
| Population | 1,192 |
| Land area | 1.4 sq mi |
| Density | 872 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52043) | $76,705 |
| Median home value (ZIP 52043) | $164,955 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Clayton 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 | 5 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 10 | +104% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 10 | +2% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 11 | +6% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 11 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elkader
How many truck crashes happen in Elkader?
Since 2015, 120 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Clayton County (55 injured, 6 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Elkader?
Truck crashes in Clayton County peak in July, with 13.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Elkader?
Since 2015, Clayton County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.7% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Elkader compared with Iowa?
Clayton County records 61.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Elkader?
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.