Ames, NE truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ames: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ames and Dodge County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Dodge County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 304 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Dodge County compares with Nebraska
Dodge County against Nebraska and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dodge County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dodge County | Nebraska | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 69.1 | 60.7 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.6 | 4.8 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.69 | 0.57 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.8% | 16.7% | 6.2% | 29% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.5% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 9% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.4% | 20.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 20.8% | 24.5% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Compared with Nebraska, Dodge County is lower on on snow, slush or ice, morning rush (6–10 am) and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Ames: US-77 deadliest road: 6 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Ames since 2015.
Overview
Dodge County has recorded 304 truck crashes since 2015, with 205 people injured and 23 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 14 days in fully reported years.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in Ames since 2015; patterns below come from Dodge County as a whole.
60% of truck crash reports in Dodge County since 2015 leave the city field blank; place counts include only reports that name the place.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 12.8% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.0% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Nebraska.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (8.9%).
Road surface: 11.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Nebraska: 16.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-77 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). After it: US-30 (3), CR-COUNTY Road Q (1) and CR-OLD Hwy 275 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
6 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.0% share (Nebraska: 1.8%).
Route planning tips for Ames fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to US-77 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Dodge County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-77 | 6 |
| US-30 | 3 |
| CR-COUNTY Road Q | 1 |
| CR-OLD Hwy 275 | 1 |
| Mu-W 23rd St | 1 |
| SR-105 | 1 |
| US-275 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dodge County) |
|---|---|
| US-30 | 21 |
| US-77 | 14 |
| US-275 | 13 |
| SR-77 | 7 |
| SR-30 | 6 |
| 030 /424.380/Us30 & 23Rd St | 4 |
| 077 /120.160/Us77 & Cr "P"-Sw Of Nickerson | 4 |
| 030 /413.680/Us30 At Cr 10-E Of North Bend | 3 |
Ames at a glance
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 68621) | $93,235 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dodge 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 | — | 1.6 |
| 2000s | 22 | -9% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 26 | +17% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 26 | -1% | 2.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 25 to 26. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ames
How common are truck crashes in Ames?
304 truck crashes have been reported in Dodge County since 2015, with 23 deaths and 205 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Ames?
NHTSA data shows US-77 with 6 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ames since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Ames?
The worst month is October: 12.8% of truck crashes in Dodge County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ames?
Since 2015, Dodge County has reported 6 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.0% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Ames compare with Nebraska?
Dodge County records 69.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 60.7 across Nebraska.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Ames?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.