Des Moines, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Des Moines: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Des Moines 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 stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Des Moines: I-35 7 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 15 miles of Des Moines.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 1,035 people and killed 47.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Only 936 truck crashes were reported in Des Moines since 2015; patterns below come from Polk County as a whole.
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
February has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (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
I-35 leads within 15 miles of Des Moines with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-65 (5), I-80 (4) and SR-163 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
100 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Their busiest month is August, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.1, vs 1.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Des Moines fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-35 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 15 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 7 |
| US-65 | 5 |
| I-80 | 4 |
| SR-163 | 4 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| SR-5 | 2 |
| 8th St Sw | 1 |
| CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr | 1 |
| E Army Post Rd | 1 |
| Grand Ave | 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 |
Des Moines at a glance
| Population | 213,096 |
| Land area | 88.2 sq mi |
| Density | 2,417 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 112 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 301. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. 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 Des Moines
How many truck accidents are there in Des Moines?
3,327 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 47 deaths and 1,035 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Des Moines?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 7 fatal large-truck crashes within 15 miles of Des Moines since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Des Moines?
February has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Des Moines?
Garbage trucks were involved in 100 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Des Moines compared with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 54.7 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Des Moines?
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.