Elma, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elma: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elma and Howard County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Howard County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 87 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Howard County compares with Iowa
Howard County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Howard County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Howard County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 74.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 63% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.57 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.3% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 14% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.7% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 53.2% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 23.4% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Iowa, Howard County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Howard County at a glance: February worst month: 12.6% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 87 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Howard County. They injured 47 people and killed 1.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 52 days.
Only 3 truck crashes were reported in Elma since 2015; patterns below come from Howard County as a whole.
64% of truck crash reports in Howard 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, 12.6% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (3.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 53.2% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 16.1% of truck crashes.
27.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of Elma.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Elma fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 27.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Iowa; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Howard County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Howard County) |
|---|---|
| US-63 | 19 |
| 150Th St | 3 |
| 150Th St And Willow Ave | 2 |
| A023/50Th St | 2 |
| B017/190Th St | 2 |
| Ft North Of 175Th St. On U | 2 |
| Ia 9 | 2 |
| Us 63 And State 9/Iowa 9 | 2 |
Elma at a glance
| Population | 493 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 402 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50628) | $68,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50628) | $151,626 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Howard 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 | 2 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 6 | +157% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 6 | +15% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 6 | -13% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 6. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elma
How many truck accidents are there in Elma?
Howard County has had 87 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 47 people and killing 1.
When do most truck crashes happen in Elma?
Truck crashes in Howard County peak in February, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elma?
Since 2015, Howard County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Elma compared with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Howard County has 74.8 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Elma?
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.