Des Moines, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Des Moines: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Des Moines and Jackson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jackson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0 of 185 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jackson County compares with Minnesota
Jackson County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jackson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jackson County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 154.9 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 4.0× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.2 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 60% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.0% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 100% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 41.7% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.6% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 27% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.1% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 53.6% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 29.8% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 1.5× the state |
Jackson County has lower values than Minnesota for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and winter months (nov–mar).
What stands out in Jackson County: 0 garbage-truck share of crashes is 0.0%, against 2.8% for Minnesota.
Overview
Police reported 185 crashes involving commercial trucks in Jackson County since 2015: 63 people were injured and 3 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 24 days.
Only 9 truck crashes were reported in Des Moines since 2015; patterns below come from Jackson County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is March with 12.4% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 1.1%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 53.6% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (10.8%).
41.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 25.6% across Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Des Moines since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-29 600Th Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
No crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jackson County since 2015.
Route planning tips for Des Moines fleets
- Review driver schedules for March, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 41.7% of truck crashes here, more than Minnesota; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Jackson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-29 600Th Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jackson County) |
|---|---|
| Isth 90 | 62 |
| Mnth 60 | 37 |
| Mnth 86 | 12 |
| Usth 71 | 9 |
| 600Th Ave | 5 |
| 390Th Ave | 2 |
| County Road 9 | 2 |
| Hwy | 2 |
Des Moines at a glance
| Population | 234 |
| Land area | 30.6 sq mi |
| Density | 8 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 56143) | $70,771 |
| Median home value (ZIP 56143) | $162,043 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jackson 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 | 12 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 14 | +19% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 17 | +18% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 15 | -8% | 0.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 12 to 15. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Des Moines
How many truck crashes happen in Des Moines?
185 truck crashes have been reported in Jackson County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 63 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Des Moines?
Truck crashes in Jackson County peak in March, with 12.4% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Des Moines?
0 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jackson County since 2015, 0.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Des Moines compared with Minnesota?
Per 100,000 residents, Jackson County has 154.9 truck crashes a year; Minnesota has 39.0.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Des Moines?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.