Dubuque County, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dubuque County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Dubuque County compares with Iowa
Dubuque County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dubuque County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dubuque County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 50.0 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 27% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 26% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 20% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.2% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 19% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.4% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 12% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.1% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.2% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Dubuque County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Iowa on garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Dubuque County: 1 in 25 crashes involve a garbage truck (22 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Iowa.
Overview
Dubuque County has recorded 576 truck crashes since 2015, with 188 people injured and 14 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 11.6% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.9%).
November through March accounts for 44.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck in Dubuque County since 2015: US-20 (3), US-61 (3), US-151 (2), Asbury Rd (1) and Mu-Roosevelt St (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 22 of the truck crashes here, or 3.8%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in September (23% of them).
They recorded 9.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Dubuque County fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Dubuque County.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Dubuque County.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Dubuque County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Dubuque County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 3 |
| US-61 | 3 |
| US-151 | 2 |
| Asbury Rd | 1 |
| Mu-Roosevelt St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dubuque County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 41 |
| US-151 | 36 |
| US-61 | 36 |
| US-52 | 13 |
| Us 20/Dodge St | 11 |
| Us 20/Dodge St And State 946/I | 7 |
| State 136/Iowa 136 | 6 |
| D041/Monastery Rd And D041/Sky | 5 |
Dubuque County at a glance
| Population | 99,242 |
| Land area | 608.3 sq mi |
| Density | 163 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $80,513 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dubuque 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 | 20 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 40 | +98% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 47 | +16% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 51 | +9% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 20 a year in the 1990s and 51 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Dubuque County
ZIP codes in Dubuque County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Dubuque County
How common are truck crashes in Dubuque County?
576 truck crashes have been reported in Dubuque County since 2015, with 14 deaths and 188 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Dubuque County?
The worst month is February: 11.6% of truck crashes in Dubuque County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Dubuque County?
Since 2015, Dubuque County has reported 22 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.8% of its truck crashes.
How does Dubuque County compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Dubuque County has 50.0 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Dubuque County?
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.