Bernard, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bernard: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bernard and Dubuque County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Dubuque County numbers.
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 |
Compared with Iowa, Dubuque County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Iowa on garbage-truck share.
Dubuque County at a glance: 1 in 25 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.0%, vs 2.2% in Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 576 crashes involving commercial trucks in Dubuque County since 2015: 188 people were injured and 14 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
With 1 truck crash reported in Bernard since 2015, this page uses Dubuque County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
31% of truck crash reports in Dubuque County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 11.6% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.1% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
Road surface: 15.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Bernard since 2015 were spread across roads: US-151 (2).
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 Bernard fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: September is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Dubuque County.
- 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 Dubuque County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-151 | 2 |
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 |
Bernard at a glance
| Population | 117 |
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,258 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52032) | $88,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 52032) | $263,141 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 20 to 51. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bernard
How common are truck crashes in Bernard?
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 Bernard?
February has the most truck crashes in Dubuque County, 11.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bernard?
Garbage trucks were involved in 22 reported crashes in Dubuque County since 2015 (3.8% of truck crashes).
How does Bernard compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 50.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Dubuque County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Bernard?
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.