ZIP 50266 (West Des Moines, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50266: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Dallas 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
9 of 638 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Dallas County compares with Iowa
Dallas County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Dallas County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Dallas County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 47.0 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 9% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 15% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 31% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.3% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 13% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.1% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 12% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.9% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.4% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 26.0% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Dallas County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash. It stands out for higher after dark.
What stands out in ZIP 50266: I-80 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 50266: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 638 crashes involving commercial trucks in Dallas County since 2015: 229 people were injured and 19 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in July (10.5% of the year) and are lowest in March (4.7%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.4% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.5%).
Road surface: 16.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). It is followed by I-35 (4), SR-28 (2) and Grand Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 9 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50266 fleets
- Build extra time into July routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 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 Dallas County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 5 |
| I-35 | 4 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| I-235 | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Pkwy | 1 |
| SR-151 | 1 |
| SR-5 | 1 |
| US-6 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Dallas County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 65 |
| Interstate 80/I 80 | 31 |
| Ia 141 | 7 |
| Ia 44 | 6 |
| State 141/Iowa 141 | 6 |
| State 44/240Th St | 6 |
| US-6 | 5 |
| Us 169/N Ave | 5 |
ZIP 50266 at a glance
| Population | 37,523 |
| Density | 649 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $87,025 |
| Median home value | $348,223 |
| Home ownership | 50% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Dallas 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 | 11 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 31 | +181% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 40 | +29% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 60 | +48% | 2.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 11 a year in the 1990s and 60 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 50266
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 50266?
638 truck crashes have been reported in Dallas County since 2015, with 19 deaths and 229 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in ZIP 50266?
I-80 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 50266 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 50266?
Truck crashes in Dallas County peak in July, with 10.5% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 50266?
Garbage trucks were involved in 9 reported crashes in Dallas County since 2015 (1.4% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 50266 compare with Iowa?
Dallas County records 47.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 50266?
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.