Marion County, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Marion County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 202 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Marion County compares with Iowa
Marion County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Marion County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Marion County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 52.3 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 23% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 26% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.8% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 32% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.0% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.7% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 43% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.9% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.4% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 20% below the state |
Compared with Iowa, Marion County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Marion County: 1 in 25 garbage-truck share of crashes is 4.1%, against 2.2% for Iowa.
Overview
Marion County has recorded 202 truck crashes since 2015, with 81 people injured and 5 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 20 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.9% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.9% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 11.9% of truck crashes.
12.8% 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 in Marion County happened on CR-T17 (1), Mckimber Dr (1), SR-14 (1), SR-163 (1) and SR-5 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 8 crashes, 4.0% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Marion County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Marion County.
- 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 Marion County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Marion County) |
|---|---|
| CR-T17 | 1 |
| Mckimber Dr | 1 |
| SR-14 | 1 |
| SR-163 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Marion County) |
|---|---|
| State 163/Iowa 163 | 16 |
| State 5/Iowa 5 | 13 |
| Ia 5 | 10 |
| Ia 163 | 10 |
| Ia 14 | 8 |
| Highway T 17 | 4 |
| State 14/Iowa 14 | 4 |
| T017/Hwy T17 | 3 |
Marion County at a glance
| Population | 34,048 |
| Land area | 554.5 sq mi |
| Density | 61 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $79,396 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Marion 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 | 5 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 9 | +89% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 15 | +65% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 17 | +16% | 0.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 5 a year in the 1990s and 17 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 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Marion County
ZIP codes in Marion County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Marion County
How many truck accidents are there in Marion County?
Marion County has had 202 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 81 people and killing 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in Marion County?
The worst month is January: 10.9% of truck crashes in Marion County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Marion County?
Since 2015, Marion County has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Marion County compared with Iowa?
Marion County records 52.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Marion County?
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.