Union, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Union: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Union 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 |
Hardin County sits below Iowa 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.
What stands out in Hardin County: 5.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Iowa: 3.5).
Overview
Since 2015, 183 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Hardin County. They injured 95 people and killed 9.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 24 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Union 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
Truck crashes peak in January (12.0% of the year) and are lowest in March (4.9%).
November through March accounts for 46.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (13.7%).
22.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Union happened on SR-14 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 2.2% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Union fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.5% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; adjust start times where you can.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 22.2% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Hardin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-14 | 2 |
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 |
Union at a glance
| Population | 378 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 662 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 Union
How common are truck crashes in Union?
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 Union?
January has the most truck crashes in Hardin County, 12.0% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Union?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Hardin County since 2015 (2.2% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Union compare with Iowa?
Hardin County records 92.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Union?
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.