ZIP 50013 (Ames, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50013: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Story County, 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Story County compares with Iowa
Story County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Story County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Story County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 44.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 34% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.4% | 18.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.6% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.2% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.6% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 19.2% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Story County has lower values than Iowa for crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Story County: 1 in 24 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.2%, vs 2.2% in Iowa.
Overview
Police reported 535 crashes involving commercial trucks in Story County since 2015: 203 people were injured and 19 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.2% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.8%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.6% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 4–5 pm than at any other hour (9.2%).
Road surface: 19.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 50013 is I-35, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-30 (3) and Ts-590th Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 23 of the truck crashes here, or 4.3%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in May (17%).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 3.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50013 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-35 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Story County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 5 |
| US-30 | 3 |
| Ts-590th Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Story County) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 43 |
| US-30 | 23 |
| Interstate 35/I 35 | 21 |
| US-69 | 11 |
| Ia 210 | 4 |
| Lincoln Way | 4 |
| Sb I-35 At 106Mm | 4 |
| US-65 | 4 |
ZIP 50013 at a glance
| Population | 4,211 |
| Density | 2,550 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Story 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 | 14 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 28 | +101% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 38 | +34% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 45 | +19% | 1.2 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 14 to 45. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 50013
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 50013?
535 truck crashes have been reported in Story County since 2015, with 19 deaths and 203 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 50013?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 50013 since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 50013?
Truck crashes in Story County peak in January, with 11.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 50013?
23 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Story County since 2015, 4.3% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 50013 compare with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 44.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Story County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 50013?
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.