Van Wert, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Van Wert: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Van Wert 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 |
Compared with Iowa, Decatur County is lower on morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Decatur County at a glance: 8.0 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.5 in Iowa.
Overview
Decatur County has recorded 143 truck crashes since 2015, with 84 people injured and 11 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 29 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Van Wert since 2015, this page uses Decatur County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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
January has the most truck crashes, 16.8% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (3.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 57.2% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 7.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 17.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Van Wert happened on I-35 (1) and SR-2 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 2.1%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Van Wert fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 | 1 |
| SR-2 | 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 |
Van Wert at a glance
| Population | 175 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 492 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50262) | $81,875 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50262) | $83,884 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 14. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Van Wert
How many truck accidents are there in Van Wert?
143 truck crashes have been reported in Decatur County since 2015, with 11 deaths and 84 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Van Wert?
Truck crashes in Decatur County peak in January, with 16.8% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Van Wert?
Garbage trucks were involved in 3 reported crashes in Decatur County since 2015 (2.1% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Van Wert compared 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 Van Wert?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.