Slater, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Slater: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Slater 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 sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
The headline for Polk County: 1.4 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.5 across Iowa.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 3,327 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,035 people injured and 47 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Slater 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%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.7% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across 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
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Slater happened on I-35 (4); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 100 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 2.2% in 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 Slater fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 4 |
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 |
Slater at a glance
| Population | 1,626 |
| Land area | 1.9 sq mi |
| Density | 850 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50243) | $80,938 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50243) | $185,166 |
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. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.8 a year in 2016–19, 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Slater
How common are truck crashes in Slater?
Polk County has had 3,327 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,035 people and killing 47.
When do most truck crashes happen in Slater?
The worst month is February: 9.9% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Slater?
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 Slater compared with Iowa?
Polk County records 54.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Slater?
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.