Nichols, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Nichols: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Nichols and Muscatine County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Muscatine County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 269 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Muscatine County compares with Iowa
Muscatine County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Muscatine County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Muscatine County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 55.5 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 19% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 46% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.6% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 17% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.7% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.7% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.6% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 17.9% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 22% below the state |
Compared with Iowa, Muscatine County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
Muscatine County at a glance: 1 in 85 crashes involve a garbage truck (3 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 269 crashes involving commercial trucks in Muscatine County since 2015: 124 people were injured and 12 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 16 days.
Nichols had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Muscatine County numbers.
40% of truck crash reports in Muscatine County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 12.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (5.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 43.6% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 10.4% of truck crashes.
15.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Nichols since 2015: CR-F062 130Th St (1), SR-22 (1) and SR-70 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 3 crashes, 1.1% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Nichols fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 30.7% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Iowa.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Muscatine County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-F062 130Th St | 1 |
| SR-22 | 1 |
| SR-70 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Muscatine County) |
|---|---|
| US-61 | 31 |
| US-6 | 9 |
| Ia 22 | 6 |
| State 22/Iowa 22 | 5 |
| Dick Drake Way | 4 |
| Isett Ave And Us 61 | 4 |
| State 38/Park Ave And Us 61 An | 3 |
| Y014/Taylor Ave | 3 |
Nichols at a glance
| Population | 317 |
| Land area | 0.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,390 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 52766) | $61,865 |
| Median home value (ZIP 52766) | $121,404 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Muscatine 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 | 21 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 22 | +5% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 23 | +6% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 21 | -11% | 0.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 21 to 21. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Nichols
How many truck crashes happen in Nichols?
Since 2015, 269 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Muscatine County (124 injured, 12 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Nichols?
January has the most truck crashes in Muscatine County, 12.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Nichols?
3 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Muscatine County since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
How does Nichols compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 55.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Muscatine County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Nichols?
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.