Denison, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Denison: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Denison and Crawford County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Crawford County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 169 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Crawford County compares with Iowa
Crawford County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Crawford County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Crawford County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 88.3 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 29% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.60 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.5× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.0% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 9% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.7% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 29% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.7% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 21.4% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 7% below the state |
Crawford County has lower values than Iowa for deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Crawford County at a glance: November 13.0% of truck crashes happen in November, more than any other month.
Overview
Crawford County has recorded 169 truck crashes since 2015, with 100 people injured and 6 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 25 days in fully reported years.
With 50 truck crashes reported in Denison since 2015, this page uses Crawford County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
54% of truck crash reports in Crawford 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 13.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 3.0%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 49.7% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 9.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 17.0% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Denison happened on US-30 (1) and US-59 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
4 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.4% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Denison fleets
- Plan November schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Crawford County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Crawford County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-30 | 1 |
| US-59 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Crawford County) |
|---|---|
| US-59 | 23 |
| US-30 | 21 |
| State 39/Iowa 39 | 6 |
| Ia 39 | 5 |
| State 141/Iowa 141 | 5 |
| Ia 141 | 4 |
| State 39/Iowa 39 And Ave C | 3 |
| E016/D Ave | 3 |
Denison at a glance
| Population | 8,302 |
| Land area | 6.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,269 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51442) | $66,767 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51442) | $162,110 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Crawford 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 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 12 | +149% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 14 | +20% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 12 | -18% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 12 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, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Denison
How common are truck crashes in Denison?
169 truck crashes have been reported in Crawford County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 100 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Denison?
The worst month is November: 13.0% of truck crashes in Crawford County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Denison?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Crawford County since 2015 (2.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Denison compare with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 88.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Crawford County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Denison?
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.