ZIP 50023 (Ankeny, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50023: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Polk 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
1.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Polk County compares with Iowa
Polk County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Polk County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Polk County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.7 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 20% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 60% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.31 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 24% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.0% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.7% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 21% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.1% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.2% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Polk County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. Where it is higher: garbage-truck share.
ZIP 50023 at a glance: 1.7× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 50023: 1.8 in 2016–19, 3.0 in 2020–24.
Overview
Since 2015, 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Polk County. They injured 1,035 people and killed 47.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (9.9% of the year) and are lowest in November (6.7%).
November through March accounts for 42.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
The busiest hour is 3–4 pm, with 7.8% of truck crashes.
14.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
I-35 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 50023 with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-80 (3), US-65 (2) and 8th St Sw (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
100 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (12%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.1, vs 1.4 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50023 fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to I-35 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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.
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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 4 |
| I-80 | 3 |
| US-65 | 2 |
| 8th St Sw | 1 |
| CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr | 1 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| Guthrie Ave | 1 |
| I-235 | 1 |
| I-38 | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Pkwy | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Polk County) |
|---|---|
| Interstate 35/I 35 | 44 |
| I-80 | 38 |
| I-35 | 29 |
| I-235 | 28 |
| US-65 | 21 |
| Blk I 80 | 19 |
| Blk I8035 | 15 |
| Interstate 235/I 235 Measuring | 15 |
ZIP 50023 at a glance
| Population | 46,306 |
| Density | 852 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $117,826 |
| Median home value | $345,197 |
| Home ownership | 72% |
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 | 112 | — | 4.5 |
| 2000s | 212 | +90% | 4.1 |
| 2010s | 234 | +10% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 301 | +29% | 4.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 112 a year in the 1990s and 301 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 4.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 50023
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 50023?
Polk County has had 3,327 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,035 people and killing 47.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 50023?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 4 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 50023 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 50023?
The worst month is February: 9.9% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 50023?
100 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 50023 compared with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 54.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 50023?
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.