Johnston, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Johnston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Johnston 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. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Johnston: I-35 5 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Johnston.
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.
Johnston had 36 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Polk County numbers.
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%.
November through March accounts for 42.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 14.7% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
I-35 leads within 10 miles of Johnston with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-80 (2), SR-28 (2) and CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 100 crashes, 3.0% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (12%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.1 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Johnston fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-35; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 5 |
| I-80 | 2 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr | 1 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| Guthrie Ave | 1 |
| I-235 | 1 |
| I-38 | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Pkwy | 1 |
| Merle Hay Rd | 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 |
Johnston at a glance
| Population | 25,022 |
| Land area | 19.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,284 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50131) | $106,551 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50131) | $369,165 |
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 Johnston
How many truck accidents are there in Johnston?
3,327 truck crashes have been reported in Polk County since 2015, with 47 deaths and 1,035 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Johnston?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Johnston since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Johnston?
February has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Johnston?
100 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Johnston compared with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 54.7 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Johnston?
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.