Montrose, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Montrose: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Montrose 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 stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes.
Lee County at a glance: 9.2 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.5 in Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 204 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lee County since 2015: 85 people were injured and 18 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 20 days in fully reported years.
Montrose had 9 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
The worst month is February with 12.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 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.
14.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-27 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). Next come SR-2 (2) and US-61 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.0% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Montrose fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use SR-27, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Lee County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-27 | 3 |
| SR-2 | 2 |
| US-61 | 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 |
Montrose at a glance
| Population | 734 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 607 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52639) | $68,625 |
| Median home value (ZIP 52639) | $162,207 |
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. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Montrose
How many truck crashes happen in Montrose?
204 truck crashes have been reported in Lee County since 2015, with 18 deaths and 85 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Montrose?
NHTSA data shows SR-27 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Montrose since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Montrose?
Truck crashes in Lee County peak in February, with 12.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Montrose?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Lee County since 2015 (1.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Montrose compare with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Lee County has 55.0 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Montrose?
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.