University Heights, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in University Heights: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in University Heights and Johnson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Johnson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
20 of 1,147 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Johnson County compares with Iowa
Johnson County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Johnson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Johnson County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 61.7 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 9% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 24% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.1% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.4% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.4% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.3% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.1% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Johnson County has lower values than Iowa for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
What stands out in University Heights: I-80 deadliest road: 10 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of University Heights since 2015.
Overview
Johnson County has recorded 1,147 truck crashes since 2015, with 466 people injured and 40 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 4 days in fully reported years.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in University Heights since 2015; patterns below come from Johnson County as a whole.
43% of truck crash reports in Johnson County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 12.4% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 47.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 20.1% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of University Heights is I-80, with 10 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-F52/BLACK Diamond Rd Sw (1), SR-1 (1) and US-218 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 20 crashes, 1.7% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in May (15%).
Route planning tips for University Heights fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Waste haulers: May is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Johnson County.
- 20.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Iowa; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Johnson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 10 |
| CR-F52/BLACK Diamond Rd Sw | 1 |
| SR-1 | 1 |
| US-218 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Johnson County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 76 |
| Interstate 80/I 80 | 63 |
| I-380 | 29 |
| Interstate 380/I 380 | 28 |
| US-218 | 23 |
| US-6 | 15 |
| State 1/Iowa 1 | 6 |
| Ia 1 | 5 |
University Heights at a glance
| Population | 1,188 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 4,569 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Johnson 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 | 40 | — | 1.7 |
| 2000s | 71 | +79% | 2.2 |
| 2010s | 92 | +29% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 100 | +9% | 2.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 40 to 100. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 2.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about University Heights
How many truck crashes happen in University Heights?
1,147 truck crashes have been reported in Johnson County since 2015, with 40 deaths and 466 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in University Heights?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of University Heights: 10.
Which month has the most truck crashes in University Heights?
The worst month is January: 12.4% of truck crashes in Johnson County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in University Heights?
Since 2015, Johnson County has reported 20 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in University Heights compare with Iowa?
Johnson County records 61.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in University Heights?
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.