Wapello, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wapello: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Wapello and Louisa County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Louisa County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 88 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Louisa County compares with Iowa
Louisa County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Louisa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Louisa County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 71.0 | 68.1 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 45% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.8% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 42% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 9.6% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 36% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 38.6% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 15% below the state |
| After dark | 22.9% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Louisa County has lower values than Iowa for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes.
What stands out in Louisa County: April worst month: 13.6% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Police reported 88 crashes involving commercial trucks in Louisa County since 2015: 34 people were injured and 5 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 48 days.
Wapello had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Louisa County numbers.
59% of truck crash reports in Louisa County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is April with 13.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 2.3%.
November through March accounts for 38.6% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 10.2% of truck crashes.
10.8% 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 Wapello happened on US-61 (2) and CR-X37 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Wapello fleets
- Review driver schedules for April, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 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 Louisa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-61 | 2 |
| CR-X37 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Louisa County) |
|---|---|
| US-61 | 10 |
| Ia 92 | 4 |
| State 92/Iowa 92 | 4 |
| Ia 70 | 3 |
| County Rd X 37 | 3 |
| County Line Rd And 190Th St | 2 |
| County Rd G62 And U Ave | 2 |
| Locust St And Us 61 | 2 |
Wapello at a glance
| Population | 2,026 |
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,560 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52653) | $83,525 |
| Median home value (ZIP 52653) | $161,110 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Louisa 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 | 4 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 4 | +18% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 6 | +39% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 7 | +17% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 4 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 7. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Wapello
How common are truck crashes in Wapello?
Louisa County has had 88 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 34 people and killing 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in Wapello?
April has the most truck crashes in Louisa County, 13.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Wapello?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Louisa County since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Wapello compare with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Louisa County has 71.0 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Wapello?
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.