ZIP 50014 (Ames, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50014: 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. It runs above Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow.
The headline for Story County: 1 in 24 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 4.2%, vs 2.2% in Iowa.
Overview
Story County has recorded 535 truck crashes since 2015, with 203 people injured and 19 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 8 days.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.2% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.6% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 4–5 pm, with 9.2% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 19.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 50014 happened on I-35 (3), US-30 (3) and Ts-590th Ave (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
23 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 4.3% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (17% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50014 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in May; review collection routes for that month.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 | 3 |
| 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 50014 at a glance
| Population | 32,958 |
| Density | 235 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $60,731 |
| Median home value | $333,139 |
| Home ownership | 37% |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 14 a year in the 1990s and 45 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 50014
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 50014?
535 truck crashes have been reported in Story County since 2015, with 19 deaths and 203 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 50014?
January has the most truck crashes in Story County, 11.2% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 50014?
Garbage trucks were involved in 23 reported crashes in Story County since 2015 (4.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 50014 compare with Iowa?
Story County records 44.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 50014?
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.