ZIP 51542 (Honey Creek, IA) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 51542: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Pottawattamie 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
15 of 1,310 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Pottawattamie County compares with Iowa
Pottawattamie County against Iowa and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Pottawattamie County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Pottawattamie County | Iowa | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 118.3 | 68.1 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.1 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 40% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.41 | 0.49 | 20% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 47% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.5% | 18.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 24.0% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.9% | 15.1% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.5% | 45.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 29.3% | 23.1% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Compared with Iowa, Pottawattamie County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Iowa on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark.
Pottawattamie County at a glance: 1 in 87 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.1%, vs 2.2% in Iowa.
Overview
Pottawattamie County has recorded 1,310 truck crashes since 2015, with 420 people injured and 31 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.9% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 47.5% of truck crashes, against 45.4% across Iowa.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (6.6%).
17.5% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 18.7% across Iowa.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 51542 since 2015 were spread across roads: I-29 (2), I-680 (2), I-80 (2), CR-L34 (1) and CR-MYNSTER Springs Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 15 crashes, 1.1% of the total, against 2.2% across Iowa.
Route planning tips for ZIP 51542 fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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 Pottawattamie County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-29 | 2 |
| I-680 | 2 |
| I-80 | 2 |
| CR-L34 | 1 |
| CR-MYNSTER Springs Rd | 1 |
| I-I-680 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Pottawattamie County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 62 |
| I-29 | 20 |
| Interstate 29/I 29 | 15 |
| Interstate 80/I 80 | 14 |
| US-6 | 11 |
| I-880 | 8 |
| Interstate 29/I29 Ramp | 8 |
| US-59 | 6 |
ZIP 51542 at a glance
| Population | 802 |
| Density | 8 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $118,165 |
| Median home value | $384,106 |
| Home ownership | 99% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Pottawattamie 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 | 70 | — | 2.9 |
| 2000s | 81 | +16% | 2.2 |
| 2010s | 96 | +18% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 114 | +19% | 2.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 70 to 114. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 51542
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 51542?
Since 2015, 1,310 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Pottawattamie County (420 injured, 31 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 51542?
The worst month is January: 11.9% of truck crashes in Pottawattamie County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 51542?
Since 2015, Pottawattamie County has reported 15 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.1% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 51542 compare with Iowa for truck crashes?
Pottawattamie County records 118.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 68.1 across Iowa.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 51542?
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.