ZIP 50265 (West Des Moines, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50265: 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 stands out for higher garbage-truck share.
ZIP 50265 at a glance: I-35 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 50265 since 2015.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 3,327 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,035 people injured and 47 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 1 truck crash every day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 9.9% of truck crashes; the quietest is November at 6.7%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.7% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across 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 50265 with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-80 (2), SR-28 (2) and SR-5 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 100 of the truck crashes here, or 3.0%, compared with 2.2% in 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 50265 fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-35; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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 | 5 |
| I-80 | 2 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| SR-5 | 2 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| I-235 | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Pkwy | 1 |
| Merle Hay Rd | 1 |
| SR-151 | 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 50265 at a glance
| Population | 33,488 |
| Density | 670 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $85,915 |
| Median home value | $281,076 |
| Home ownership | 66% |
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 50265
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 50265?
Polk County has had 3,327 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 1,035 people and killing 47.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 50265?
NHTSA data shows I-35 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 50265 since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 50265?
The worst month is February: 9.9% of truck crashes in Polk County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 50265?
100 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Polk County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in ZIP 50265 compare with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 54.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 50265?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.