ZIP 50244 (Slater, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50244: 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 has lower values than Iowa for crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It runs above Iowa on garbage-truck share.
The headline for Polk County: 1.4 people killed per 100 truck crashes (Iowa: 3.5).
Overview
Police reported 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks in Polk County since 2015: 1,035 people were injured and 47 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 9.9% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (6.7%).
November through March accounts for 42.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 14.7% of truck crashes, compared with 18.7% in Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 50244 happened on I-35 (4); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 100 crashes, 3.0% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Their busiest month is August, with 12% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 1.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50244 fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: August is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Polk County.
- 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 Polk County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-35 | 4 |
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 50244 at a glance
| Population | 1,729 |
| Density | 26 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $120,313 |
| Median home value | $268,008 |
| Home ownership | 87% |
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 |
In the 1990s about 112 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 301. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. 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 50244
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 50244?
Polk County has had 3,327 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,035 people and killing 47.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 50244?
The worst month is February: 9.9% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 50244?
Garbage trucks were involved in 100 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
How does ZIP 50244 compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
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 50244?
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.