Runnells, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Runnells: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Runnells 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.
The headline for Runnells: SR-163 deadliest road: 4 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Runnells 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.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Runnells 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
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.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out 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
SR-163 leads within 10 miles of Runnells with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: US-65 (2), E Army Post Rd (1) and SR-5 (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%).
They recorded 1.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Runnells fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to SR-163 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.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| SR-163 | 4 |
| US-65 | 2 |
| E Army Post Rd | 1 |
| SR-5 | 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 |
Runnells at a glance
| Population | 467 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 812 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50237) | $101,806 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50237) | $348,229 |
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 Runnells
How many truck crashes happen in Runnells?
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 Runnells?
SR-163 had 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Runnells since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Runnells?
The worst month is February: 9.9% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Runnells?
100 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Runnells compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
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 Runnells?
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.