West Des Moines, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in West Des Moines: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in West Des Moines 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 |
Compared with Iowa, Dallas County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Iowa on after dark.
West Des Moines at a glance: I-35 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of West Des Moines since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 638 crashes involving commercial trucks in Dallas County since 2015: 229 people were injured and 19 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
With 98 truck crashes reported in West Des Moines since 2015, this page uses Dallas County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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
Truck crashes peak in July (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in March (4.7%).
November through March accounts for 41.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.5% of truck crashes.
16.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
I-35 leads within 10 miles of West Des Moines with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by I-80 (3), SR-28 (2) and Grand Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 9 crashes, 1.4% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for West Des Moines fleets
- Review driver schedules for July, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-35; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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-35 | 5 |
| I-80 | 3 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| I-235 | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-151 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
| US-6 | 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 |
West Des Moines at a glance
| Population | 73,664 |
| Land area | 47.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,551 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50266) | $87,025 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50266) | $348,223 |
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 large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about West Des Moines
How many truck accidents are there in West Des Moines?
Since 2015, 638 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Dallas County (229 injured, 19 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in West Des Moines?
I-35 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of West Des Moines since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in West Des Moines?
July has the most truck crashes in Dallas County, 10.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in West Des Moines?
Since 2015, Dallas County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in West Des Moines compared with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 47.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Dallas County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in West Des Moines?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.