Denmark, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Denmark: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Denmark and Lee County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lee County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 204 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lee County compares with Iowa
Lee County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lee County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lee County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 55.0 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 19% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 9.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 53% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.8% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 13% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.8% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.9% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.8% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 27% below the state |
Lee County has lower values than Iowa for crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes.
What stands out in Lee County: 9.2 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Iowa: 3.5).
Overview
Since 2015, 204 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Lee County. They injured 85 people and killed 18.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 20 days.
Denmark had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lee County numbers.
59% of truck crash reports in Lee 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, 12.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (5.4%).
November through March accounts for 46.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 11.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 14.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Denmark since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-16 (2), US-34 (2) and CR-J38/LOCUST St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.0% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Denmark fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Lee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-16 | 2 |
| US-34 | 2 |
| CR-J38/LOCUST St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lee County) |
|---|---|
| US-218 | 14 |
| US-61 | 11 |
| State 16/Iowa 16 | 6 |
| State 27/Iowa 27 | 4 |
| Us 218 S And Ia 16 | 3 |
| Carbide Ln And Us 61 | 3 |
| 255Th St And Ia 27 | 3 |
| 10Th St Us 218/Main St | 2 |
Denmark at a glance
| Land area | 1.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52624) | $109,861 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lee 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 | 11 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 20 | +84% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 17 | -14% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 20 | +16% | 2.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 11 a year in the 1990s and 20 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Denmark
How many truck accidents are there in Denmark?
Since 2015, 204 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lee County (85 injured, 18 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Denmark?
Truck crashes in Lee County peak in February, with 12.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Denmark?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lee County since 2015, 1.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Denmark compare with Iowa?
Lee County records 55.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Denmark?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.