Le Mars, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Le Mars: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Le Mars and Plymouth County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Plymouth County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 357 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Plymouth County compares with Iowa
Plymouth County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Plymouth County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Plymouth County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 121.1 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 87% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.1% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 19% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 21% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.0% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 54% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.6% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 20.3% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 12% below the state |
Plymouth County sits below Iowa on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Plymouth County at a glance: 1 in 345 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.3%, vs 2.2% in Iowa.
Overview
Since 2015, 357 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Plymouth County. They injured 173 people and killed 18.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 12 days.
Le Mars had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Plymouth County numbers.
67% of truck crash reports in Plymouth County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 13.2% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.6% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 10.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
US-75 leads within 10 miles of Le Mars with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-3 (2), CR-B62 500Th St (1) and CR-C38 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.6% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Le Mars fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-75; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Plymouth County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-75 | 4 |
| SR-3 | 2 |
| CR-B62 500Th St | 1 |
| CR-C38 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Plymouth County) |
|---|---|
| US-75 | 20 |
| Ia 12 | 3 |
| Us 75/Floyd Ave | 3 |
| C80 And Us 75 | 3 |
| State 140/Iowa 140 And C044/25 | 3 |
| 260Th St And Us 75 | 3 |
| Main St And Us 0075 / Floyd Av | 3 |
| K42 And Ia 3 | 3 |
Le Mars at a glance
| Population | 10,674 |
| Land area | 8.8 sq mi |
| Density | 1,215 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51031) | $76,525 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51031) | $216,714 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Plymouth 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 | 22 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 21 | -2% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 23 | +9% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 35 | +49% | 1.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 22 to 35. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.2 a year in 2016–19, 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Le Mars
How many truck crashes happen in Le Mars?
Since 2015, 357 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Plymouth County (173 injured, 18 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Le Mars?
Since 2015, US-75 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Le Mars: 4.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Le Mars?
Truck crashes in Plymouth County peak in October, with 13.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Le Mars?
Since 2015, Plymouth County has reported 2 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Le Mars compared with Iowa?
Plymouth County records 121.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Le Mars?
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.