Cortland, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Cortland: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Cortland and Jackson County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Jackson County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 824 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Jackson County compares with Indiana
Jackson County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Jackson County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Jackson County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 148.8 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 12% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.1% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 33% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 19.6% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 13% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.6% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 35.0% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Jackson County has lower values than Indiana for garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Indiana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and after dark.
What stands out in Cortland: I-65 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Cortland: 7 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 824 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Jackson County. They injured 287 people and killed 35.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 5 days.
Cortland had 4 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Jackson County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in August (10.7% of the year) and are lowest in November (5.6%).
November through March accounts for 40.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
By time of day, 12–1 am stands out with 16.1% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 7.1% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
I-65 leads within 10 miles of Cortland with 7 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-65S (2), CR-600 (1) and CR-760E (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
16 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.9% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Route planning tips for Cortland fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-65, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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 Jackson County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 7 |
| I-65S | 2 |
| CR-600 | 1 |
| CR-760E | 1 |
| SR-11S | 1 |
| US-31 | 1 |
| US-50 | 1 |
| US-50W | 1 |
| Us- 31 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Jackson County) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 306 |
| I-65S | 39 |
| I-65N | 35 |
| US-50E | 32 |
| US-50 | 31 |
| US-50W | 20 |
| US-31 | 18 |
| E Tipton St | 13 |
Cortland at a glance
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 47274) | $71,457 |
| Median home value (ZIP 47274) | $186,685 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Jackson 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 | — | 0.9 |
| 2000s | 46 | +115% | 1.4 |
| 2010s | 69 | +50% | 2.3 |
| 2020s | 70 | +1% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 21 to 70. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Cortland
How many truck accidents are there in Cortland?
824 truck crashes have been reported in Jackson County since 2015, with 35 deaths and 287 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Cortland?
Since 2015, I-65 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Cortland: 7.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Cortland?
August has the most truck crashes in Jackson County, 10.7% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Cortland?
16 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Jackson County since 2015, 1.9% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Cortland compared with Indiana?
The yearly rate is 148.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Jackson County, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Cortland?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.