ZIP 50644 (Independence, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 50644: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Buchanan 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 187 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Buchanan County compares with Iowa
Buchanan County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Buchanan County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Buchanan County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 76.3 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 47% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.3% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.7% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 14% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.9% | 15.1% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.1% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 22.4% | 23.1% | 24.8% | same |
Buchanan County has lower values than Iowa for garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice.
Buchanan County at a glance: 1 in 87 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.1%, against 2.2% for Iowa.
Overview
Buchanan County has recorded 187 truck crashes since 2015, with 82 people injured and 6 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 23 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 11.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 4.3%.
November through March accounts for 43.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 45.4% in Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 5–6 pm than at any other hour (10.7%).
Road surface: 25.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 50644 happened on US-20 (2) and CR-MASON Ave (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 50644 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- With 25.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Iowa), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Buchanan County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 2 |
| CR-MASON Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Buchanan County) |
|---|---|
| State 150/Jamestown Ave Measur | 6 |
| State 187/Washburn Ave Measuri | 5 |
| Interstate 380/I 380 Measuring | 4 |
| US-20 | 3 |
| Ramp Ia 150 N To Us 20 E Measu | 3 |
| Benson-Shady Grove Ave Measuri | 2 |
| D047/290Th St And State 150/Ja | 2 |
| I 380 S Measuring 10827 Feet | 2 |
ZIP 50644 at a glance
| Population | 8,419 |
| Density | 22 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $80,026 |
| Median home value | $186,618 |
| Home ownership | 78% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Buchanan 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 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 10 | +308% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 13 | +28% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 17 | +35% | 0.2 |
In the 1990s about 2 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 17. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 50644
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 50644?
187 truck crashes have been reported in Buchanan County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 82 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 50644?
January has the most truck crashes in Buchanan County, 11.2% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 50644?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Buchanan County since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 50644 compared with Iowa?
Buchanan County records 76.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 50644?
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.