Munster, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Munster: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Munster and Lake County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Lake County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with Indiana
Lake County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 117.4 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 45% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 40% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.4% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.1% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.9% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 35.8% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Indiana, Lake County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
The headline for Munster: 1.9× change in fatal truck crashes a year within 10 miles of Munster (6.2 → 11.8).
Overview
Lake County has recorded 6,927 truck crashes since 2015, with 2,451 people injured and 108 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly 2 truck crashes every day.
With 73 truck crashes reported in Munster since 2015, this page uses Lake County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
By time of day, 12–1 am stands out with 9.0% of truck crashes.
12.4% 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 Munster is I-80, with 22 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-94 (7), SR-394 (6) and US-30 (6).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 94 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (11%).
They recorded 1.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Munster fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- With 12.4% 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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 22 |
| I-94 | 7 |
| SR-394 | 6 |
| US-30 | 6 |
| SR-1 | 4 |
| Grant St | 3 |
| I-294 | 3 |
| SR-83 | 3 |
| US-6 | 3 |
| Brainard Ave | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 2,571 |
| I-65 | 1,116 |
| I-90 | 224 |
| US-41 | 101 |
| I-94 | 89 |
| US-30 | 85 |
| I-80E | 68 |
| US-41S | 57 |
Munster at a glance
| Population | 23,634 |
| Land area | 7.5 sq mi |
| Density | 3,136 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46321) | $110,187 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46321) | $334,039 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | 352 | — | 10.2 |
| 2000s | 554 | +58% | 8.7 |
| 2010s | 482 | -13% | 6.4 |
| 2020s | 647 | +34% | 8.8 |
In the 1990s about 352 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 647. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 6.2 a year in 2016–19 and 8.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Munster
How many truck accidents are there in Munster?
6,927 truck crashes have been reported in Lake County since 2015, with 108 deaths and 2,451 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Munster?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Munster: 22.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Munster?
The worst month is January: 9.8% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Munster?
94 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Munster compare with Indiana?
Lake County records 117.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Munster?
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.