Windsor Heights, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Windsor Heights: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Windsor Heights 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 runs above Iowa on garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Windsor Heights: I-35 6 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Windsor Heights.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 1,035 people and killed 47.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
With 22 truck crashes reported in Windsor Heights 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
Truck crashes peak in February (9.9% of the year) and are lowest in November (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%).
14.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-35 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). It is followed by I-80 (3), SR-28 (2) and SR-5 (2).
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 Windsor Heights fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-35; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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
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 | 6 |
| I-80 | 3 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| SR-5 | 2 |
| CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr | 1 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| Guthrie Ave | 1 |
| I-235 | 1 |
| I-38 | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Pkwy | 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 |
Windsor Heights at a glance
| Population | 5,106 |
| Land area | 1.4 sq mi |
| Density | 3,561 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50324) | $91,707 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50324) | $262,880 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 112 to 301. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.8 a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Windsor Heights
How many truck accidents are there in Windsor Heights?
Polk County has had 3,327 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,035 people and killing 47.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Windsor Heights?
Since 2015, I-35 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Windsor Heights: 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Windsor Heights?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in February, with 9.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Windsor Heights?
Garbage trucks were involved in 100 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
How does Windsor Heights compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Polk County has 54.7 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Windsor Heights?
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.