Pocahontas County, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Pocahontas County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 85 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pocahontas County compares with Iowa
Pocahontas County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pocahontas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pocahontas County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 109.0 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.64 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.6× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 45% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.5% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 17% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 27.4% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 3.6% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 76% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 35.7% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 21% below the state |
| After dark | 16.7% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 28% below the state |
Compared with Iowa, Pocahontas County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Pocahontas County at a glance: October the month with the most truck crashes: 14.1% of the year's total.
Overview
Since 2015, 85 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Pocahontas County. They injured 54 people and killed 4.
That averages about one truck crash every 48 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 14.1% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 2.4%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 35.7% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (14.1%).
Road surface: 15.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck in Pocahontas County happened on SR-4 (2); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 1.2% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Pocahontas County fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 27.4% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Iowa.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Pocahontas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Pocahontas County) |
|---|---|
| SR-4 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pocahontas County) |
|---|---|
| 130Th Ave | 5 |
| State 4/220Th Ave | 3 |
| C049/570Th St | 3 |
| 110Th Ave | 2 |
| 130Th Ave And Ia 3 | 2 |
| 140Th Ave | 2 |
| 590Th St | 2 |
| Ia 4 | 2 |
Pocahontas County at a glance
| Population | 7,006 |
| Land area | 577.2 sq mi |
| Density | 12 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $62,134 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pocahontas 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 | — | 0.5 |
| 2000s | 6 | +96% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 6 | +15% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 8 | +32% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 8. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Pocahontas County
ZIP codes in Pocahontas County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Pocahontas County
How many truck crashes happen in Pocahontas County?
85 truck crashes have been reported in Pocahontas County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 54 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Pocahontas County?
October has the most truck crashes in Pocahontas County, 14.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Pocahontas County?
Since 2015, Pocahontas County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 1.2% of its truck crashes.
How does Pocahontas County compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 109.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Pocahontas County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Pocahontas County?
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.