Topeka, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Topeka: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Topeka and LaGrange County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use LaGrange County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
6 of 614 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How LaGrange County compares with Indiana
LaGrange County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where LaGrange County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | LaGrange County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 129.3 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 2.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.39 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.0% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 56% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.8% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.8% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 15.7% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 10% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 34.7% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
LaGrange County has lower values than Indiana for garbage-truck share and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
What stands out in LaGrange County: 6.5 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.9 in Indiana.
Overview
Police reported 614 crashes involving commercial trucks in LaGrange County since 2015: 240 people were injured and 39 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
Only 42 truck crashes were reported in Topeka since 2015; patterns below come from LaGrange County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 6.2%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
The busiest hour is 12–1 am, with 9.3% of truck crashes.
12.8% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Topeka is SR-5, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come US-33 (2), SR-9S (1) and Sr- 9 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
6 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.0% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Route planning tips for Topeka fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to SR-5 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- With 12.8% 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 LaGrange County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-5 | 5 |
| US-33 | 2 |
| SR-9S | 1 |
| Sr- 9 | 1 |
| US-20 | 1 |
| US-20W | 1 |
| US-6 | 1 |
| Us- 20 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (LaGrange County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 215 |
| US-20 | 92 |
| SR-5 | 20 |
| US-20W | 20 |
| SR-120 | 17 |
| SR-9 | 12 |
| I-80W | 10 |
| I-80E | 10 |
Topeka at a glance
| Population | 1,226 |
| Land area | 1.6 sq mi |
| Density | 760 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46571) | $85,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46571) | $273,811 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in LaGrange 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 | 23 | — | 2.2 |
| 2000s | 48 | +111% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 49 | +1% | 1.9 |
| 2020s | 54 | +12% | 3.2 |
In the 1990s about 23 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 54. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.2 a year in 2016–19, 3.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Topeka
How many truck accidents are there in Topeka?
LaGrange County has had 614 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 240 people and killing 39.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Topeka?
NHTSA data shows SR-5 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Topeka since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Topeka?
The worst month is January: 12.7% of truck crashes in LaGrange County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Topeka?
6 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in LaGrange County since 2015, 1.0% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Topeka compare with Indiana?
LaGrange County records 129.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Topeka?
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.