Maxwell, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Maxwell: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Maxwell 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 stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
Maxwell at a glance: I-35 4 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Maxwell.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 3,327 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,035 people injured and 47 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Maxwell 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%).
November through March accounts for 42.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
14.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Maxwell is I-35, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-65 (3), CR-S27 650Th Ave (1) and SR-330 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 100 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Their busiest month is August, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.1 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Maxwell fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-35 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at August schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 4 |
| US-65 | 3 |
| CR-S27 650Th Ave | 1 |
| SR-330 | 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 |
Maxwell at a glance
| Population | 862 |
| Land area | 1.1 sq mi |
| Density | 789 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50161) | $98,519 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50161) | $272,770 |
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 Maxwell
How many truck accidents are there in Maxwell?
Since 2015, 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (1,035 injured, 47 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Maxwell?
I-35 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Maxwell since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Maxwell?
February has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Maxwell?
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 Maxwell compared with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 54.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Maxwell?
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.