Center, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Center: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Center and Howard County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Howard County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
15 of 388 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Howard County compares with Indiana
Howard County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Howard County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Howard County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 39.2 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 51% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.7 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.6% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 13.8% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.0% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 37% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.4% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 28.4% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Howard County sits below Indiana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Howard County: 1 in 28 garbage-truck share of crashes is 3.6%, against 2.4% for Indiana.
Overview
Since 2015, 388 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Howard County. They injured 139 people and killed 19.
That averages about one truck crash every 11 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Center since 2015, this page uses Howard County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
The worst month is October with 10.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 5.9%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 44.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 13.8% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Center since 2015: US-31 (3), US-35 (3), US-31N (2), CR-300N (1) and CR-800 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
15 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.9% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Route planning tips for Center fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Howard County.
- 25.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Indiana; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 13.8% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Indiana; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Howard County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 3 |
| US-35 | 3 |
| US-31N | 2 |
| CR-300N | 1 |
| CR-800 | 1 |
| Phillips St | 1 |
| SR-19S | 1 |
| SR-213 | 1 |
| SR-22 | 1 |
| SR-26W | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Howard County) |
|---|---|
| US-35 | 23 |
| US-31 | 20 |
| US-31N | 19 |
| SR-26E | 17 |
| SR-26W | 11 |
| SR-26 | 10 |
| SR-931 | 8 |
| SR-22 | 7 |
Center at a glance
| Population | 46,182 |
| Land area | 0.9 sq mi |
| Density | 51,256 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46902) | $62,126 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46902) | $167,884 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Howard 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 | 21 | — | 1.5 |
| 2000s | 32 | +53% | 0.9 |
| 2010s | 33 | +5% | 1.8 |
| 2020s | 30 | -9% | 1.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 21 a year in the 1990s and 30 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Center
How many truck accidents are there in Center?
Howard County has had 388 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 139 people and killing 19.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Center?
October has the most truck crashes in Howard County, 10.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Center?
Since 2015, Howard County has reported 15 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.9% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Center compared with Indiana?
Howard County records 39.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Center?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.