Elkhart, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elkhart: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Elkhart compares with Indiana
Elkhart against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Elkhart stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Elkhart | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 118.9 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.3% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.7% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.3% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 19.1% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.2% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.8% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Elkhart sits below Indiana on after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Elkhart at a glance: 1 in 19 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 5.3%, vs 2.4% in Indiana.
Overview
Since 2015, 745 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Elkhart. They injured 313 people and killed 21.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.7% of the year) and are lowest in July (6.6%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.2% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Indiana.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 8.6% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.7% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
I-80 leads within 10 miles of Elkhart with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by CR-17 (3), US-20 (3) and 3rd St (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
38 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 5.1% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in November (18% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.8 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Elkhart fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Elkhart.
- Look at alternatives to I-80 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Elkhart.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 28.3% of truck crashes here, more than Indiana; adjust start times where you can.
- With 15.7% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Indiana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Elkhart
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 5 |
| CR-17 | 3 |
| US-20 | 3 |
| 3rd St | 1 |
| CR-1 | 1 |
| CR-18 | 1 |
| CR-26 | 1 |
| CR-7 | 1 |
| CR-CASSOPOLIS Rd | 1 |
| CR-OLD M205 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Elkhart) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 108 |
| US-20 | 77 |
| SR-19 | 22 |
| Co Rd 17 | 17 |
| Cr17 | 17 |
| Cassopolis | 15 |
| Cr20 | 14 |
| Middlebury | 14 |
Elkhart at a glance
| Population | 53,690 |
| Land area | 28.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,910 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Elkhart 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 | 23 | — | 5.4 |
| 2000s | 60 | +162% | 4.3 |
| 2010s | 62 | +5% | 4.2 |
| 2020s | 59 | -5% | 5.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 23 to 59. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 4.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elkhart
How many truck accidents are there in Elkhart?
Elkhart has had 745 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 313 people and killing 21.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Elkhart?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elkhart since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Elkhart?
January has the most truck crashes in Elkhart, 11.7% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Elkhart?
38 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Elkhart since 2015, 5.1% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Elkhart compared with Indiana?
The yearly rate is 118.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Elkhart, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Elkhart?
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.