Chariton, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chariton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chariton and Lucas County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lucas County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 66 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Lucas County compares with Iowa
Lucas County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lucas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lucas County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 65.4 | 68.1 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 0.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 100% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.9% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 15% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.2% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 8% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.3% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.9% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Lucas County sits below Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Iowa on garbage-truck share and after dark.
Lucas County at a glance: 0.0 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.5 in Iowa.
Overview
Lucas County has recorded 66 truck crashes since 2015, with 27 people injured and 0 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 64 days in fully reported years.
With 18 truck crashes reported in Chariton since 2015, this page uses Lucas County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
53% of truck crash reports in Lucas 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, 13.6% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (3.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.9% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (12.1%).
15.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chariton since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-14 (1) and US-34 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Chariton fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 Lucas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-14 | 1 |
| US-34 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lucas County) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 3 |
| 110Th Ave And H050/440Th St | 2 |
| 300Th Ave And Us 34 | 2 |
| Orchard Ave | 2 |
| 490Th St And S023/200Th Ave | 1 |
| 4Th St And S 4Th St And Us 34 | 1 |
| 500Th St And 120Th Ave | 1 |
| 537Th St | 1 |
Chariton at a glance
| Population | 4,278 |
| Land area | 3.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,135 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50049) | $61,190 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50049) | $131,016 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lucas 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 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 5 | +114% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 6 | +33% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 5 | -26% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 5 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 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chariton
How common are truck crashes in Chariton?
Lucas County has had 66 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 27 people and killing 0.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Chariton?
January has the most truck crashes in Lucas County, 13.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Chariton?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Lucas County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
How does Chariton compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Lucas County has 65.4 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Chariton?
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.