Melrose, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Melrose: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Melrose and Monroe County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Monroe County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 56 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Monroe County compares with Iowa
Monroe County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Monroe County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Monroe County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 65.3 | 68.1 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 7% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 3.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.4% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 50% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.0% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 29% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.8% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 75% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.1% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 24.5% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Monroe County sits below Iowa on injuries per crash, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Monroe County: 1 in 13 crashes involve a garbage truck (4 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Iowa.
Overview
Monroe County has recorded 56 truck crashes since 2015, with 20 people injured and 4 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 76 days.
Melrose had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Monroe County numbers.
66% of truck crash reports in Monroe County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 17.9% of the yearly total, while December has the fewest (1.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 49.1% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (16.1%).
9.4% 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 within 10 miles of Melrose happened on US-34 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 7.1%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Melrose fleets
- Build extra time into July 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 Monroe County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Monroe County) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 8 |
| State 5/Iowa 5 | 5 |
| Ia 5 | 4 |
| T061/Monroe Wapello Rd | 3 |
| State 137/Iowa 137 | 3 |
| Ia 137 | 3 |
| 165Th St | 1 |
| 165Th St And State 5/Iowa 5 | 1 |
Melrose at a glance
| Population | 110 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 108 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52569) | $51,477 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Monroe 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 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 5 | +55% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 4 | -26% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 5 | +28% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 5. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Melrose
How common are truck crashes in Melrose?
56 truck crashes have been reported in Monroe County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 20 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Melrose?
The worst month is July: 17.9% of truck crashes in Monroe County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Melrose?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Monroe County since 2015 (7.1% of truck crashes).
How does Melrose compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Monroe County has 65.3 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Melrose?
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.