Grimes, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Grimes: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Grimes 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 |
Polk County has lower values than Iowa for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Iowa on garbage-truck share.
Grimes at a glance: I-35 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Grimes: 3 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.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
With 59 truck crashes reported in Grimes 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
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.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 14.7% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-35 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). After it: SR-28 (2), CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr (1) and I-235 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
100 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.1 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Grimes fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- Check whether your routes use I-35, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 3 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr | 1 |
| I-235 | 1 |
| I-80 | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Pkwy | 1 |
| Merle Hay Rd | 1 |
| SR-141 | 1 |
| SR-151 | 1 |
| SR-17 | 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 |
Grimes at a glance
| Population | 17,266 |
| Land area | 13.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,317 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50111) | $120,769 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50111) | $309,280 |
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 Grimes
How many truck accidents are there in Grimes?
Polk County has had 3,327 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,035 people and killing 47.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Grimes?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Grimes since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Grimes?
February has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Grimes?
Garbage trucks were involved in 100 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Grimes compare with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 54.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Grimes?
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.