Decatur, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Decatur: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Decatur and Decatur County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Decatur County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 143 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Decatur County compares with Iowa
Decatur County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Decatur County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Decatur County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 163.9 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 2.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.57 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.4% | 18.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 16% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.2% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 57.2% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.3× the state |
| After dark | 40.6% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.8× the state |
Decatur County has lower values than Iowa for morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Decatur County: 8.0 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Iowa: 3.5).
Overview
Decatur County has recorded 143 truck crashes since 2015, with 84 people injured and 11 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 29 days.
Decatur had 3 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Decatur County numbers.
85% of truck crash reports in Decatur County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (16.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (3.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 57.2% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (7.7%).
17.4% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-35 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). Next come SR-2 (1) and US-69 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 2.1% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Decatur fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-35, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Decatur County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 3 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| US-69 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Decatur County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 11 |
| I35Sb At The 24Mm | 3 |
| I 35 Sb @ 19.30 Mile Marker | 3 |
| Hwy 2 W.B. @ I-35 N.B. On/Off | 2 |
| I 35 Sb @ 19.50 Mile Marker | 2 |
| I35Nb At The 21Mm | 2 |
| Interstate 35/I 35 | 2 |
| Interstate 35/I 35 24Mm | 2 |
Decatur at a glance
| Population | 174 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 460 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50067) | $43,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50067) | $87,497 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Decatur 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 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 6 | +83% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 9 | +45% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 14 | +45% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Decatur
How many truck accidents are there in Decatur?
Decatur County has had 143 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 84 people and killing 11.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Decatur?
I-35 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Decatur since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Decatur?
Truck crashes in Decatur County peak in January, with 16.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Decatur?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Decatur County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Decatur compare with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Decatur County has 163.9 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Decatur?
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.