Early, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Early: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Early and Sac County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Sac County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 144 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Sac County compares with Iowa
Sac County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Sac County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Sac County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 128.7 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 8.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.3× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.48 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.7% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.1% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.1% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 27% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.1% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Iowa, Sac County is lower on garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Sac County: 0 crashes involve a garbage truck (0 since 2015), vs 2.2% across Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 144 crashes involving commercial trucks in Sac County since 2015: 67 people were injured and 11 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 30 days.
Early had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Sac County numbers.
54% of truck crash reports in Sac County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
November has the most truck crashes, 15.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (2.8%).
November through March accounts for 43.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 13.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 20.7% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Early since 2015 were spread across roads: US-20 (2), US-71 (2), CR-D15 190Th St (1) and CR-M54 Rolf Ave 280Th St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Sac County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Early fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 31.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Iowa.
- With 20.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Iowa), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Sac County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 2 |
| US-71 | 2 |
| CR-D15 190Th St | 1 |
| CR-M54 Rolf Ave 280Th St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Sac County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 17 |
| Fox Ave | 6 |
| M043/Fox Ave | 3 |
| Perkins Ave | 3 |
| M054/Sierra Ave And Us 20 | 3 |
| 370Th St And Union Ave | 2 |
| Dean Ave (Ia-110) | 2 |
| Hwy 20 Eb And Fox Ave | 2 |
Early at a glance
| Population | 571 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,468 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 50535) | $91,995 |
| Median home value (ZIP 50535) | $96,306 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Sac 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 | 6 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 7 | +13% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 10 | +39% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 13 | +30% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 13. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Early
How many truck accidents are there in Early?
Since 2015, 144 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Sac County (67 injured, 11 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Early?
Truck crashes in Sac County peak in November, with 15.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Early?
Since 2015, Sac County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Early compare with Iowa?
Per 100,000 residents, Sac County has 128.7 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Early?
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.