Emmetsburg, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Emmetsburg: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Emmetsburg and Palo Alto County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Palo Alto County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 91 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Palo Alto County compares with Iowa
Palo Alto County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Palo Alto County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Palo Alto County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 89.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 34% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 22% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 47% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.7% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.9% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 54% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 33.3% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 27% below the state |
| After dark | 17.2% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Palo Alto County sits below Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Palo Alto County: June worst month: 15.4% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 91 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Palo Alto County. They injured 29 people and killed 2.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 46 days.
With 15 truck crashes reported in Emmetsburg since 2015, this page uses Palo Alto County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
74% of truck crash reports in Palo Alto County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is June with 15.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is July at 4.4%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 33.3% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (12.1%).
20.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Emmetsburg since 2015 were spread across roads: US-18 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Emmetsburg fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 20.7% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Palo Alto County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-18 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Palo Alto County) |
|---|---|
| US-18 | 3 |
| 3700-Blk 480Th Ave | 2 |
| 390St & 580 Ave | 2 |
| 4200 280 St | 2 |
| 480Th Ave And Us 18 | 2 |
| 4900 370 St | 2 |
| 4900 460 Ave | 2 |
| State 4/460 Ave And 390 St | 2 |
Emmetsburg at a glance
| Population | 3,632 |
| Land area | 3.8 sq mi |
| Density | 958 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50536) | $59,261 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50536) | $124,228 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Palo Alto 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 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 6 | +93% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 8 | +41% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 7 | -11% | 0.0 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 7. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Emmetsburg
How many truck crashes happen in Emmetsburg?
Since 2015, 91 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Palo Alto County (29 injured, 2 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Emmetsburg?
June has the most truck crashes in Palo Alto County, 15.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Emmetsburg?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Palo Alto County since 2015 (1.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Emmetsburg compare with Iowa?
Palo Alto County records 89.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Emmetsburg?
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.