Dubuque, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dubuque: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dubuque 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 |
Dubuque County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher 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.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
With 314 truck crashes reported in Dubuque 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
Truck crashes peak in February (11.6% of the year) and are lowest in October (5.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.1% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (8.3%).
15.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Dubuque 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.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in September (23%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 9.1, vs 2.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Dubuque 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.
- 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 Dubuque County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 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 at a glance
| Population | 58,987 |
| Land area | 31.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,886 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 20 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 51. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dubuque
How common are truck crashes in Dubuque?
Since 2015, 576 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Dubuque County (188 injured, 14 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dubuque?
February has the most truck crashes in Dubuque County, 11.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Dubuque?
Since 2015, Dubuque County has reported 22 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.8% of its truck crashes.
How does Dubuque compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Dubuque County has 50.0 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Dubuque?
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.