Carpenter, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Carpenter: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Carpenter and Mitchell County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Mitchell County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 95 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Mitchell County compares with Iowa
Mitchell County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mitchell County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mitchell County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 74.4 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.9% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 20% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.7% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 14% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 5.8% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 62% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.7% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 14.9% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 35% below the state |
Mitchell County sits below Iowa on on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Mitchell County: 1 in 29 crashes involve a garbage truck (3 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 95 crashes involving commercial trucks in Mitchell County since 2015: 39 people were injured and 5 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 46 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Carpenter since 2015; patterns below come from Mitchell County as a whole.
65% of truck crash reports in Mitchell County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 11.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.3%.
November through March accounts for 43.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 12.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 14.9% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Carpenter since 2015: CR-A23/465TH St (1) and CR-T36/KIRKWOOD Ave (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 3 of the truck crashes here, or 3.2%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Carpenter fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 Mitchell County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-A23/465TH St | 1 |
| CR-T36/KIRKWOOD Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mitchell County) |
|---|---|
| US-218 | 11 |
| Ia 9 | 7 |
| Lancer Ave | 3 |
| 420Th St | 3 |
| 465Th St And Kirkwood Ave | 2 |
| 490Th St | 2 |
| B017/320Th St And Us 218 | 2 |
| Monument Ave | 2 |
Carpenter at a glance
| Population | 92 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 262 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50426) | $74,107 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50426) | $63,400 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mitchell 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 | 3 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 4 | +43% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 7 | +68% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 9 | +28% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 9. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Carpenter
How many truck crashes happen in Carpenter?
Mitchell County has had 95 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 39 people and killing 5.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Carpenter?
Truck crashes in Mitchell County peak in October, with 11.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Carpenter?
Since 2015, Mitchell County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.2% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Carpenter compared with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 74.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Mitchell County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Carpenter?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.