St. Charles, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in St. Charles: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in St. Charles 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 |
Compared with Iowa, Madison County is lower 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.
The headline for Madison County: 1 in 14 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.9%, against 2.2% for Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 77 crashes involving commercial trucks in Madison County since 2015: 18 people were injured and 3 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 56 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in St. Charles since 2015, this page uses Madison County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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
Truck crashes peak in October (15.6% of the year) and are lowest in June (2.6%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.3% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (15.6%).
Road surface: 27.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of St. Charles since 2015 were spread across roads: I-35 (1) and Ts-Upland Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.5% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for St. Charles fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.6% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; adjust start times where you can.
- With 27.8% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Iowa), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
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-35 | 1 |
| Ts-Upland Ave | 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 |
St. Charles at a glance
| Population | 648 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,043 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50240) | $107,563 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50240) | $305,764 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 1 to 7. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about St. Charles
How many truck crashes happen in St. Charles?
77 truck crashes have been reported in Madison County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 18 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in St. Charles?
Truck crashes in Madison County peak in October, with 15.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in St. Charles?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Madison County since 2015 (6.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in St. Charles 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 St. Charles?
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.