Graettinger, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Graettinger: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Graettinger 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 has lower values than Iowa for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 46 days.
Graettinger had 4 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Palo Alto County numbers.
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
June has the most truck crashes, 15.4% of the yearly total, while July has the fewest (4.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 33.3% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 12.1% of truck crashes.
20.7% 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 Graettinger since 2015: US-18 (2). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for Graettinger fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Palo Alto County.
- 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
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 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 |
Graettinger at a glance
| Population | 810 |
| Land area | 0.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,074 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51342) | $84,866 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51342) | $101,927 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 7. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Graettinger
How common are truck crashes in Graettinger?
Since 2015, 91 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Palo Alto County (29 injured, 2 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Graettinger?
Truck crashes in Palo Alto County peak in June, with 15.4% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Graettinger?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Palo Alto County since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Graettinger compare with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Palo Alto County has 89.8 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Graettinger?
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.