Harlan, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Harlan: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Harlan 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 |
Shelby County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Shelby County: June the month with the most truck crashes: 13.7% of the year's total.
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 10 truck crashes reported in Harlan 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
June has the most truck crashes, 13.7% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (1.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.5% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 15.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 7.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Harlan happened on US-59 (2) and Nishna Ave (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.4% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Harlan fleets
- Plan June schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Shelby County.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 31.9% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Shelby County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-59 | 2 |
| Nishna Ave | 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 |
Harlan at a glance
| Population | 4,898 |
| Land area | 4.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,108 per sq mi |
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 Harlan
How many truck crashes happen in Harlan?
Shelby County has had 73 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 62 people and killing 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Harlan?
June has the most truck crashes in Shelby County, 13.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Harlan?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Shelby County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
How does Harlan compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Shelby County has 53.1 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Harlan?
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.