Jefferson Township, Elkhart County, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County and Elkhart County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Elkhart County numbers.
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 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Elkhart County compares with Indiana
Elkhart County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Elkhart County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Elkhart County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 81.7 | 80.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.3% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.3% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.2% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.2% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Elkhart County sits below Indiana on after dark. It runs above Indiana on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
What stands out in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County: US-20 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Jefferson: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,956 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Elkhart County. They injured 815 people and killed 63.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
Jefferson Township, Elkhart County had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Elkhart County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (7.0%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.6% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Indiana.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (7.9%).
14.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-20 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (5). It is followed by CR-17 (4), CR-40 (2) and I-80 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
59 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Their busiest month is November, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Jefferson Township, Elkhart County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Elkhart County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-20; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at November schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 28.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Indiana; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 14.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Indiana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 5 |
| CR-17 | 4 |
| CR-40 | 2 |
| I-80 | 2 |
| SR-120 | 2 |
| Us- 20 | 2 |
| 3rd St | 1 |
| CR-18 | 1 |
| CR-26 | 1 |
| CR-35 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Elkhart County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 245 |
| US-20 | 207 |
| US-33 | 110 |
| US-6 | 77 |
| SR-15 | 71 |
| SR-13 | 59 |
| SR-19 | 47 |
| SR-120 | 47 |
Jefferson Township, Elkhart County at a glance
| Population | 11,094 |
| Land area | 35.2 sq mi |
| Density | 315 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46528) | $81,529 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46528) | $254,712 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Elkhart 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 | 89 | — | 5.4 |
| 2000s | 148 | +67% | 4.3 |
| 2010s | 160 | +8% | 4.2 |
| 2020s | 155 | -3% | 5.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 89 a year in the 1990s and 155 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.5 a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Jefferson Township, Elkhart County
How many truck crashes happen in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County?
Elkhart County has had 1,956 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 815 people and killing 63.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County?
US-20 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Jefferson since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County?
January has the most truck crashes in Elkhart County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County?
59 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Elkhart County since 2015, 3.0% of all truck crashes.
How does Jefferson Township, Elkhart County compare with Indiana for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Elkhart County has 81.7 truck crashes a year; Indiana has 80.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Jefferson Township, Elkhart County?
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.