Alden, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Alden: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Alden and Hardin County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Hardin County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 183 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Hardin County compares with Iowa
Hardin County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Hardin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Hardin County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 92.2 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 17% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 22.2% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.5% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.0% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 21% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.7% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Compared with Iowa, Hardin County is lower on garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Hardin County at a glance: 5.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.5 in Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 183 crashes involving commercial trucks in Hardin County since 2015: 95 people were injured and 9 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 24 days.
With 6 truck crashes reported in Alden since 2015, this page uses Hardin County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
69% of truck crash reports in Hardin County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 4.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.7% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 9–10 am, with 13.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 22.2% 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 Alden happened on CR-D15 (2), US-20 (2) and SR-359 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 2.2%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Alden fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.5% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; adjust start times where you can.
- With 22.2% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Iowa), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Hardin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-D15 | 2 |
| US-20 | 2 |
| SR-359 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Hardin County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 27 |
| US-65 | 16 |
| County Highway S56 | 3 |
| County Highway D65 | 3 |
| State 175/Iowa 175 | 3 |
| S027/St Hwy 359 | 3 |
| S027/Co Hwy S27 | 3 |
| 240Th St | 2 |
Alden at a glance
| Population | 738 |
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Density | 472 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Hardin 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 | 3 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 11 | +263% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 16 | +43% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 14 | -13% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 3 a year in the 1990s and 14 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Alden
How many truck crashes happen in Alden?
183 truck crashes have been reported in Hardin County since 2015, with 9 deaths and 95 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Alden?
January has the most truck crashes in Hardin County, 12.0% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Alden?
Since 2015, Hardin County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.2% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Alden compared with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Hardin County has 92.2 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Alden?
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.