ZIP 50628 (Elma, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50628: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Howard 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
2 of 87 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Howard County compares with Iowa
Howard County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Howard County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Howard County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 74.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 63% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.57 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.4× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.3% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.8% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 14% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.7% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 23% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 53.2% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 23.4% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Howard County has lower values than Iowa for deaths per 100 crashes, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Howard County: February worst month: 12.6% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Howard County has recorded 87 truck crashes since 2015, with 47 people injured and 1 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 52 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
February has the most truck crashes, 12.6% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (3.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 53.2% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 16.1% of truck crashes.
27.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, no fatal large-truck crashes with a location were recorded within 10 miles of ZIP 50628.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 2 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for ZIP 50628 fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 27.3% 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
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 Howard County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Howard County) |
|---|---|
| US-63 | 19 |
| 150Th St | 3 |
| 150Th St And Willow Ave | 2 |
| A023/50Th St | 2 |
| B017/190Th St | 2 |
| Ft North Of 175Th St. On U | 2 |
| Ia 9 | 2 |
| Us 63 And State 9/Iowa 9 | 2 |
ZIP 50628 at a glance
| Population | 1,423 |
| Density | 5 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $68,750 |
| Median home value | $151,626 |
| Home ownership | 74% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Howard 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 | 2 | — | 0.3 |
| 2000s | 6 | +157% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 6 | +15% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 6 | -13% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 2 a year in the 1990s and 6 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 50628
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 50628?
Howard County has had 87 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 47 people and killing 1.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 50628?
February has the most truck crashes in Howard County, 12.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 50628?
Garbage trucks were involved in 2 reported crashes in Howard County since 2015 (2.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 50628 compared with Iowa?
Howard County records 74.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 50628?
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.