Ames, OH truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ames: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ames and Athens County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Athens County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
12 of 186 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Athens County compares with Ohio
Athens County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Athens County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Athens County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 25.3 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 50% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 7.4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 2.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.41 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 18% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.2% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.0% | 7.8% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.3% | 21.4% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.2% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 25% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 42.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 24.4% | 25.8% | 24.8% | same |
Athens County has lower values than Ohio for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Athens County: 1 in 16 garbage-truck share of crashes is 6.2%, against 2.5% for Ohio.
Overview
Police reported 186 crashes involving commercial trucks in Athens County since 2015: 74 people were injured and 13 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 23 days in fully reported years.
Ames had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Athens County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is July with 11.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 4.3%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.9% of truck crashes, vs 42.3% for Ohio.
By time of day, 2–3 pm stands out with 10.2% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 8.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Ohio: 7.8%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Ames happened on US-33 (3) and US-50 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
12 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.5% share (Ohio: 2.5%).
Route planning tips for Ames fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 Athens County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-33 | 3 |
| US-50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Athens County) |
|---|---|
| US-33 | 65 |
| US-50 | 44 |
| SR-13 | 10 |
| SR-550 | 5 |
| SR-144 | 4 |
| SR-7 | 4 |
| Court St | 3 |
| SR-32 | 3 |
Ames at a glance
| Population | 1,226 |
| Land area | 37.7 sq mi |
| Density | 32 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 45711) | $79,464 |
| Median home value (ZIP 45711) | $219,522 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Athens 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 | 15 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 14 | -5% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 17 | +24% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 14 | -17% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 15 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ames
How many truck crashes happen in Ames?
Athens County has had 186 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 74 people and killing 13.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ames?
July has the most truck crashes in Athens County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ames?
Since 2015, Athens County has reported 12 garbage-truck crashes, or 6.5% of its truck crashes.
How does Ames compare with Ohio for truck crashes?
Athens County records 25.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 50.8 across Ohio.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ames?
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.