Defiance, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Defiance: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Defiance and Shelby County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Shelby County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 73 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Shelby County compares with Iowa
Shelby County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Shelby County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Shelby County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.1 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 22% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.84 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 2.0× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 33% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.2% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 61% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 31.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.2% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 52% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.5% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 15.9% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 31% below the state |
Compared with Iowa, Shelby County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Shelby County: June 13.7% of truck crashes happen in June, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 73 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Shelby County. They injured 62 people and killed 4.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 58 days.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Defiance since 2015, this page uses Shelby County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
68% of truck crash reports in Shelby County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (13.7% of the year) and are lowest in January (1.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.5% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (15.1%).
Road surface: 7.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Defiance since 2015: CR-M47/FRONT St (1) and US-59 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 1.4% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Defiance fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Shelby County.
- 31.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Iowa; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Shelby County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-M47/FRONT St | 1 |
| US-59 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Shelby County) |
|---|---|
| US-59 | 9 |
| State 44/Chatburn Ave | 4 |
| 1500Th St And St F32 Unsigned | 3 |
| F032/Street F32 | 2 |
| Ia 191 | 2 |
| Ia 44 | 2 |
| Ia 44 East Of Exchange | 2 |
| State 37/Iowa 37 | 2 |
Defiance at a glance
| Population | 248 |
| Land area | 0.4 sq mi |
| Density | 665 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51527) | $64,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51527) | $111,847 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Shelby 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 | 2 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 2 | +53% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 6 | +158% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 6 | -9% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 2 to 6. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Defiance
How many truck accidents are there in Defiance?
73 truck crashes have been reported in Shelby County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 62 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Defiance?
The worst month is June: 13.7% of truck crashes in Shelby County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Defiance?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Shelby County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
How does Defiance compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 53.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Shelby County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Defiance?
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.