ZIP 50102 (Garden City, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50102: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Hardin 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
4 of 183 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Hardin County compares with Iowa
Hardin County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Hardin County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Hardin County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 92.2 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.4× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.54 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 17% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 22.2% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.5% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.0% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 21% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.7% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 9% below the state |
Compared with Iowa, Hardin County is lower on garbage-truck share, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in Hardin County: 5.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Iowa: 3.5).
Overview
Since 2015, 183 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Hardin County. They injured 95 people and killed 9.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 24 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (12.0% of the year) and are lowest in March (4.9%).
November through March accounts for 46.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (13.7%).
22.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 50102 since 2015 were spread across roads: US-65 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 2.2%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50102 fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Hardin County.
- 30.5% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Iowa; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 22.2% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; schedule winter checks early.
- 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 Hardin County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-65 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Hardin County) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 27 |
| US-65 | 16 |
| County Highway S56 | 3 |
| County Highway D65 | 3 |
| State 175/Iowa 175 | 3 |
| S027/St Hwy 359 | 3 |
| S027/Co Hwy S27 | 3 |
| 240Th St | 2 |
ZIP 50102 at a glance
| Population | 36 |
| Density | 28 per sq mi |
| Home ownership | 100% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Hardin 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 | 3 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 11 | +263% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 16 | +43% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 14 | -13% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 3 a year in the 1990s and 14 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 50102
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 50102?
Hardin County has had 183 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 95 people and killing 9.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 50102?
Truck crashes in Hardin County peak in January, with 12.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 50102?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Hardin County since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 50102 compare with Iowa?
Hardin County records 92.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 50102?
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.