ZIP 51358 (Ruthven, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 51358: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Palo Alto 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 of 91 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Palo Alto County compares with Iowa
Palo Alto County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Palo Alto County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Palo Alto County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 89.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.3× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 34% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 22% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 47% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 20.7% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 6.9% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 54% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 33.3% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 27% below the state |
| After dark | 17.2% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 25% below the state |
Palo Alto County sits below Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Palo Alto County: June the month with the most truck crashes: 15.4% of the year's total.
Overview
Police reported 91 crashes involving commercial trucks in Palo Alto County since 2015: 29 people were injured and 2 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 46 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in June (15.4% of the year) and are lowest in July (4.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 33.3% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (12.1%).
20.7% 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 51358 happened on US-18 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.1% share (Iowa: 2.2%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 51358 fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 20.7% of truck crashes here, more than Iowa; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Palo Alto County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-18 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Palo Alto County) |
|---|---|
| US-18 | 3 |
| 3700-Blk 480Th Ave | 2 |
| 390St & 580 Ave | 2 |
| 4200 280 St | 2 |
| 480Th Ave And Us 18 | 2 |
| 4900 370 St | 2 |
| 4900 460 Ave | 2 |
| State 4/460 Ave And 390 St | 2 |
ZIP 51358 at a glance
| Population | 1,213 |
| Density | 6 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $64,583 |
| Median home value | $150,178 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Palo Alto 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 | 3 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 6 | +93% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 8 | +41% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 7 | -11% | 0.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 7. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 51358
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 51358?
Since 2015, 91 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Palo Alto County (29 injured, 2 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 51358?
Truck crashes in Palo Alto County peak in June, with 15.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 51358?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Palo Alto County since 2015, 1.1% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 51358 compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Palo Alto County has 89.8 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
How can I plan a safer truck route in ZIP 51358?
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.