Polk County, MO truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Polk 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
11 of 225 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Missouri
Polk County against Missouri and the US, 2015–2024 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2024) | Polk County | Missouri | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 60.8 | 85.9 | 49.7 | 29% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.0 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 63% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.44 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 2.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 2.5% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 65% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.9% | 22.8% | 23.7% | 21% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 7.5% | 10.7% | 13.8% | 30% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.8% | 40.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.4% | 24.7% | 24.8% | 13% below the state |
Polk County sits below Missouri on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Missouri on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Polk County at a glance: 1 in 20 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 5.0%, vs 2.2% in Missouri.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 225 truck crashes since 2015, with 118 people injured and 3 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 18 days.
When crashes happen
March has the most truck crashes, 12.0% of the yearly total, while January has the fewest (5.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.8% of truck crashes, against 40.7% across Missouri.
More truck crashes happen at 2–3 pm than at any other hour (9.8%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 2.5% of truck crashes, compared with 7.2% in Missouri.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes in Polk County since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-123 (1) and SR-13 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
11 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.9% share (Missouri: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for Polk County fleets
- Plan March schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Polk County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
Reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2025; rates and comparisons skip those years.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Polk County) |
|---|---|
| SR-123 | 1 |
| SR-13 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Mo 13 | 100 |
| Mo 32 | 36 |
| Mo 215 | 13 |
| Mo 123 | 11 |
| Mo 83 | 11 |
| Rt H | 6 |
| Crd E 455Th Rd | 3 |
| Rt P | 3 |
Polk County at a glance
| Population | 33,070 |
| Land area | 635.5 sq mi |
| Density | 52 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $60,678 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Polk 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 | 31 | — | 1.9 |
| 2000s | 17 | -46% | 2.1 |
| 2010s | 16 | -2% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 17 | +5% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 31 a year in the 1990s and 17 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 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Polk County
ZIP codes in Polk County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Polk County
How common are truck crashes in Polk County?
Since 2015, 225 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (118 injured, 3 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Polk County?
Truck crashes in Polk County peak in March, with 12.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Polk County?
Since 2015, Polk County has reported 11 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.9% of its truck crashes.
How does Polk County compare with Missouri for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 60.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 85.9 for Missouri.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Polk 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 2025; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.