ZIP 50317 (Des Moines, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50317: 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.
The headline for Polk County: 1.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.5 in Iowa.
Overview
Polk County has recorded 3,327 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,035 people injured and 47 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a 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.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (7.8%).
14.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 50317 happened on I-35 (4), SR-163 (4), US-65 (4), I-80 (3) and SR-28 (2); 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.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in August (12% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.1 deaths compared with 1.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50317 fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at August schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 |
| SR-163 | 4 |
| US-65 | 4 |
| I-80 | 3 |
| SR-28 | 2 |
| 8th St Sw | 1 |
| CR-R56/NW 6Th Dr | 1 |
| E Army Post Rd | 1 |
| Grand Ave | 1 |
| Guthrie Ave | 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 50317 at a glance
| Population | 36,548 |
| Density | 638 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $65,617 |
| Median home value | $176,833 |
| 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 50317
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 50317?
Since 2015, 3,327 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Polk County (1,035 injured, 47 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in ZIP 50317?
February has the most truck crashes in Polk County, 9.9% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 50317?
Garbage trucks were involved in 100 reported crashes in Polk County since 2015 (3.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 50317 compare with Iowa?
The yearly rate is 54.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Polk County, vs 68.1 for Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 50317?
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.