ZIP 51540 (Hastings, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 51540: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Mills 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
4 of 181 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Mills County compares with Iowa
Mills County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Mills County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Mills County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 106.2 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 11.6% | 18.7% | 6.2% | 38% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.2% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.2% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 19% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.1% | 45.4% | 41.9% | 12% below the state |
| After dark | 26.2% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Mills County sits below Iowa on deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Mills County: September worst month: 14.4% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average month.
Overview
Since 2015, 181 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Mills County. They injured 82 people and killed 5.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 23 days.
When crashes happen
September has the most truck crashes, 14.4% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (3.9%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.1% of truck crashes, vs 45.4% for Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (9.4%).
Road surface: 11.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Iowa: 18.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 51540 since 2015 were spread across roads: US-34 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 2.2%, compared with 2.2% in Iowa.
Route planning tips for ZIP 51540 fleets
- Plan September schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Mills County.
- 26.2% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Iowa; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Mills County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Mills County) |
|---|---|
| US-34 | 24 |
| I-29 | 10 |
| Interstate 29/I 29 | 7 |
| Us 34 And L031/195Th St | 3 |
| US-59 | 3 |
| US-275 | 3 |
| Hwy 34 And Deacon Ave | 2 |
| Interstate 29 Nb 37Mm | 2 |
ZIP 51540 at a glance
| Population | 372 |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $84,375 |
| Median home value | $226,194 |
| Home ownership | 78% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Mills 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 | 6 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 8 | +24% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 15 | +100% | 1.1 |
| 2020s | 16 | +3% | 0.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 6 to 16. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 51540
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 51540?
Since 2015, 181 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Mills County (82 injured, 5 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 51540?
The worst month is September: 14.4% of truck crashes in Mills County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 51540?
Since 2015, Mills County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.2% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 51540 compared with Iowa?
Mills County records 106.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 51540?
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.