Wapello County, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Wapello 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
9 of 247 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Wapello County compares with Iowa
Wapello County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wapello County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wapello County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 62.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 8% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.9 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.47 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.6% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 59% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.7% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 29% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.2% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 11% below the state |
| After dark | 24.6% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Iowa, Wapello County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Wapello County: 1 in 28 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.6%, against 2.2% for Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 247 crashes involving commercial trucks in Wapello County since 2015: 117 people were injured and 13 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 16 days.
When crashes happen
July has the most truck crashes, 13.4% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (6.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.2% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 8.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 7.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
US-63 leads in Wapello County with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: CR-T61 Monroe Wapello Rd (1), CR-V37 Agency Hendrick Rd (1) and Mu-Dewey St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
9 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.6% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Wapello County fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-63 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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.
Crash reporting for 2016 is incomplete; those years are shown in grey and not used for rates.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Wapello County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Wapello County) |
|---|---|
| US-63 | 3 |
| CR-T61 Monroe Wapello Rd | 1 |
| CR-V37 Agency Hendrick Rd | 1 |
| Mu-Dewey St | 1 |
| SR-16 | 1 |
| SR-23 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wapello County) |
|---|---|
| US-63 | 37 |
| US-34 | 30 |
| Ia 149 | 12 |
| State 149/Iowa 149 | 7 |
| Eddyville Rd And Us 63 | 6 |
| H025/Dahlonega Rd | 4 |
| T061/Monroe Wapello Rd And Us | 3 |
| T061/Monroe Wapello Rd | 3 |
Wapello County at a glance
| Population | 35,681 |
| Land area | 431.8 sq mi |
| Density | 83 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $64,439 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wapello 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 | 8 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 17 | +100% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 20 | +23% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 22 | +8% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 22 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 1.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Wapello County
ZIP codes in Wapello County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Wapello County
How many truck accidents are there in Wapello County?
247 truck crashes have been reported in Wapello County since 2015, with 13 deaths and 117 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Wapello County?
Since 2015, US-63 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Wapello County: 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Wapello County?
July has the most truck crashes in Wapello County, 13.4% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Wapello County?
9 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Wapello County since 2015, 3.6% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Wapello County compare with Iowa?
Wapello County records 62.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Wapello County?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2016; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.