Earlham, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Earlham: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Earlham and Madison County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Madison County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 77 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Madison County compares with Iowa
Madison County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Madison County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Madison County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 38.1 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 44% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.24 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 41% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.9% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 3.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.8% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.4% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.3% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 11.1% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 52% below the state |
Madison County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and winter months (nov–mar). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Madison County: 1 in 14 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.9%, against 2.2% for Iowa.
Overview
Since 2015, 77 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Madison County. They injured 18 people and killed 3.
That averages about one truck crash every 56 days in fully reported years.
Earlham had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Madison County numbers.
73% of truck crash reports in Madison County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 15.6% of the yearly total, while June has the fewest (2.6%).
November through March accounts for 40.3% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (15.6%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 27.8% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Earlham is I-80, with 7 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by US-6 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.5% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Earlham fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Madison County.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.6% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; adjust start times where you can.
- 27.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Iowa; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Madison County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 7 |
| US-6 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Madison County) |
|---|---|
| US-169 | 6 |
| G04R/Cumming Rd | 3 |
| 105Th St | 2 |
| Ia 92 | 2 |
| Ivy Ave (1000 Blk) | 2 |
| 130Th St And Cottonwood Ave | 1 |
| 1689 260Th St | 1 |
| 220Th St | 1 |
Earlham at a glance
| Population | 1,411 |
| Land area | 0.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,493 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50072) | $111,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50072) | $305,933 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Madison 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 | 1 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 6 | +457% | 0.1 |
| 2010s | 7 | +2% | 0.3 |
| 2020s | 7 | +4% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 1 truck crash a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 7. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Earlham
How common are truck crashes in Earlham?
Since 2015, 77 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Madison County (18 injured, 3 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Earlham?
I-80 had 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Earlham since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Earlham?
The worst month is October: 15.6% of truck crashes in Madison County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Earlham?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Madison County since 2015 (6.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Earlham compare with Iowa?
Madison County records 38.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Earlham?
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.