ZIP 51459 (Ralston, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 51459: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Carroll 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 132 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Carroll County compares with Iowa
Carroll County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Carroll County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Carroll County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 54.8 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 20% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.52 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.3× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 25% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 9.8% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 48% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.5% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 19% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 13.0% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 14% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.8% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 14.6% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 37% below the state |
Carroll County sits below Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and winter months (nov–mar).
The headline for Carroll County: December the month with the most truck crashes: 13.6% of the year's total.
Overview
Police reported 132 crashes involving commercial trucks in Carroll County since 2015: 69 people were injured and 7 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 33 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (13.6% of the year) and are lowest in March (3.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.8% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
The busiest hour is 1–2 pm, with 13.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 9.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 51459 since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 2 crashes, 1.5% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for ZIP 51459 fleets
- Plan December schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Carroll County.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Carroll 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 (Carroll County) |
|---|---|
| US-30 | 20 |
| US-71 | 5 |
| Ia 141 | 4 |
| Lynx Ave And Us 71 And State 1 | 3 |
| Delta Ave | 3 |
| 150Th Street & Noble Ave; Cont | 2 |
| 3Rd St | 2 |
| E016/120Th St | 2 |
ZIP 51459 at a glance
| Population | 54 |
| Density | 38 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $63,333 |
| Median home value | $61,550 |
| Home ownership | 82% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Carroll 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 | 5 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 7 | +44% | 0.4 |
| 2010s | 11 | +54% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 11 | -5% | 0.8 |
In the 1990s about 5 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 11. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 51459
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 51459?
Carroll County has had 132 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 69 people and killing 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 51459?
Truck crashes in Carroll County peak in December, with 13.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 51459?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Carroll County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 51459 compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Carroll County has 54.8 truck crashes a year; Iowa has 68.1.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 51459?
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.