Altoona, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Altoona: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Altoona and Polk County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Polk County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Iowa
Polk County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.7 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 20% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 60% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.31 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 24% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.7% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.1% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.2% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Iowa, Polk County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Iowa on garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Altoona: US-65 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Altoona: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 1,035 people and killed 47.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 130 truck crashes reported in Altoona since 2015, this page uses Polk County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
29% of truck crash reports in Polk County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 9.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 6.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.7% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 14.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-65 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). It is followed by I-80 (4), SR-163 (4) and I-35 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 100 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (12% of them).
They recorded 1.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Altoona fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along US-65; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk County.
- 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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-65 | 5 |
| I-80 | 4 |
| SR-163 | 4 |
| I-35 | 3 |
| 8th St Sw | 1 |
| CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr | 1 |
| E Army Post Rd | 1 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| Guthrie Ave | 1 |
| I-38 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Interstate 35/I 35 | 44 |
| I-80 | 38 |
| I-35 | 29 |
| I-235 | 28 |
| US-65 | 21 |
| Blk I 80 | 19 |
| Blk I8035 | 15 |
| Interstate 235/I 235 Measuring | 15 |
Altoona at a glance
| Population | 22,598 |
| Land area | 13.3 sq mi |
| Density | 1,697 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50009) | $88,447 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50009) | $274,686 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 112 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 212 | +90% | 4.1 |
| 2010s | 234 | +10% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 301 | +29% | 4.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 112 a year in the 1990s and 301 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Altoona
How many truck accidents are there in Altoona?
Since 2015, 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (1,035 injured, 47 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Altoona?
NHTSA data shows US-65 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Altoona since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Altoona?
February has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Altoona?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 100 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Altoona compared with Iowa?
Polk County records 54.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Altoona?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.