Adel, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Adel: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Adel and Dallas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Dallas County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9 of 638 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Dallas County compares with Iowa
Dallas County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dallas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dallas County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 47.0 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 31% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.3% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 13% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.1% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.9% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 26.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Dallas County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: after dark.
Adel at a glance: I-80 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Adel: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Dallas County has recorded 638 truck crashes since 2015, with 229 people injured and 19 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
Adel had 20 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Dallas County numbers.
53% of truck crash reports in Dallas 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 10.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 4.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.4% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.5% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 16.3% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
I-80 leads within 10 miles of Adel with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come US-6 (2) and SR-44 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 9 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Adel fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-80 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- 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 Dallas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 7 |
| US-6 | 2 |
| SR-44 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dallas County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 65 |
| Interstate 80/I 80 | 31 |
| Ia 141 | 7 |
| Ia 44 | 6 |
| State 141/Iowa 141 | 6 |
| State 44/240Th St | 6 |
| US-6 | 5 |
| Us 169/N Ave | 5 |
Adel at a glance
| Population | 6,763 |
| Land area | 5.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,254 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50003) | $103,114 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50003) | $395,071 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dallas 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 | 11 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 31 | +181% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 40 | +29% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 60 | +48% | 2.4 |
In the 1990s about 11 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 60. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Adel
How many truck crashes happen in Adel?
638 truck crashes have been reported in Dallas County since 2015, with 19 deaths and 229 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Adel?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Adel: 7.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Adel?
The worst month is July: 10.5% of truck crashes in Dallas County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Adel?
Since 2015, Dallas County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Adel compare with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 47.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Dallas County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Adel?
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.