Oto, IA truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Oto: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Oto and Woodbury County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Woodbury County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 687 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Woodbury County compares with Iowa
Woodbury County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Woodbury County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Woodbury County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.1 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 18% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 51% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 10% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 13.4% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 28% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.4% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 11% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.5% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.3% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 21% below the state |
Woodbury County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Woodbury County: 1.7 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 3.5 across Iowa.
Overview
Since 2015, 687 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Woodbury County. They injured 236 people and killed 12.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
Oto had 1 reported truck crash since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Woodbury County numbers.
When crashes happen
December has the most truck crashes, 10.5% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.5% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 13.4% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Oto since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 13 crashes, 1.9% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for Oto fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 26.6% 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
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 Woodbury County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Woodbury County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 66 |
| I-29 | 53 |
| Interstate 29/I 29 | 22 |
| Harbor Dr And Singing Hills Bl | 15 |
| Ia 376 | 9 |
| Interstate 29/Ne Ramp And Stat | 9 |
| Hoeven Dr And 6Th St | 8 |
| Ia 12 | 8 |
Oto at a glance
| Population | 71 |
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Density | 264 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 51044) | $90,417 |
| Median home value (ZIP 51044) | $83,487 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Woodbury 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 | 25 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 53 | +113% | 1.0 |
| 2010s | 57 | +8% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 59 | +3% | 1.4 |
In the 1990s about 25 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 59. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Oto
How common are truck crashes in Oto?
687 truck crashes have been reported in Woodbury County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 236 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Oto?
December has the most truck crashes in Woodbury County, 10.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Oto?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Woodbury County since 2015 (1.9% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Oto compare with Iowa?
Woodbury County records 56.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Oto?
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.