Union County, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Union County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 61 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Union County compares with Iowa
Union County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Union County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Union County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 44.1 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 35% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 12.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.5× 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 | 17.2% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 8% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 8.6% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 43% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.0% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 19.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 18% below the state |
Union County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Union County: 12.1 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Iowa: 3.5).
Overview
Union County has recorded 61 truck crashes since 2015, with 29 people injured and 8 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 69 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is December with 16.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 3.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 50.0% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (13.1%).
17.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes in Union County since 2015 were spread across roads: US-34 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Union County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Union County fleets
- Build extra time into December routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 25.9% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Iowa; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Union County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Union County) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 4 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Union County) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 9 |
| Osage St | 3 |
| Maple St And Us 34 | 2 |
| State 25/S Sumner Ave And Us 3 | 2 |
| 140Th St | 1 |
| 150Th St | 1 |
| 190Th St | 1 |
| 190Th St And Us 34 | 1 |
Union County at a glance
| Population | 11,955 |
| Land area | 423.6 sq mi |
| Density | 28 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $58,884 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Union 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 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 5 | +141% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 5 | -13% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 6 | +38% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 6 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Union County
ZIP codes in Union County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Union County
How common are truck crashes in Union County?
Since 2015, 61 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Union County (29 injured, 8 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Union County?
The worst month is December: 16.4% of truck crashes in Union County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Union County?
Since 2015, Union County has reported 0 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.0% of its truck crashes.
How does Union County compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 44.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Union County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Union County?
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.