Ellston, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ellston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ellston and Ringgold County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ringgold County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 27 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Ringgold County compares with Iowa
Ringgold County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ringgold County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ringgold County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 49.3 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 28% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 28.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 8.0× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 12% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.8× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.0% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 57% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.0% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 17% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.0% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 21% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 32.0% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 30% below the state |
| After dark | 12.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 48% below the state |
Ringgold County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Ringgold County: 28.0 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.5 in Iowa.
Overview
Ringgold County has recorded 27 truck crashes since 2015, with 9 people injured and 7 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 161 days in fully reported years.
Only 2 truck crashes were reported in Ellston since 2015; patterns below come from Ringgold County as a whole.
52% of truck crash reports in Ringgold County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (18.5% of the year) and are lowest in March (0.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 32.0% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 22.2% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 8.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ellston since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 3.7% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Ellston fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Ringgold County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ringgold County) |
|---|---|
| Ia 2 | 4 |
| Ia 25 | 2 |
| 0.1 Mile West Of Mount Ayr On | 1 |
| 120Th Ave | 1 |
| 210Th St | 1 |
| 280Th Ave | 1 |
| 280Th St Measuring 1713 Feet | 1 |
| County Highway J23 | 1 |
Ellston at a glance
| Population | 23 |
| Land area | 0.2 sq mi |
| Density | 92 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50074) | $121,094 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50074) | $626,793 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ringgold 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 | 0 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 1 | +500% | 0.0 |
| 2010s | 2 | +70% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 3 | +57% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 1 a year in the 2000s and 3 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.5 a year in 2016–19 and 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ellston
How many truck crashes happen in Ellston?
Ringgold County has had 27 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 9 people and killing 7.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ellston?
January has the most truck crashes in Ringgold County, 18.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ellston?
Since 2015, Ringgold County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 3.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Ellston compare with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Ringgold County has 49.3 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Ellston?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.