West Creek, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in West Creek: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in West Creek 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). It runs above Indiana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
The headline for Lake County: 1 in 71 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.4%, vs 2.4% in Indiana.
Overview
Lake County has recorded 6,927 truck crashes since 2015, with 2,451 people injured and 108 killed.
That averages about 2 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
West Creek had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Lake County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.5%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.0% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across 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
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of West Creek happened on SR-17 (3), US-41 (3), SR-1 (2), E 12000N Rd (1) and SR-017 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 94 crashes, 1.4% of the total, against 2.4% across Indiana.
Their busiest month is August, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 1.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for West Creek fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 12.4% of truck crashes here, more than Indiana; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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) |
|---|---|
| SR-17 | 3 |
| US-41 | 3 |
| SR-1 | 2 |
| E 12000N Rd | 1 |
| SR-017 | 1 |
| SR-10E | 1 |
| SR-55 | 1 |
| Sr- 17 | 1 |
| US-41N | 1 |
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 |
West Creek at a glance
| Population | 7,961 |
| Land area | 62.0 sq mi |
| Density | 128 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46356) | $89,217 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46356) | $277,570 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 352 a year in the 1990s and 647 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 6.2 a year in 2016–19, 8.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about West Creek
How common are truck crashes in West Creek?
6,927 truck crashes have been reported in Lake County since 2015, with 108 deaths and 2,451 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in West Creek?
January has the most truck crashes in Lake County, 9.8% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in West Creek?
94 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in West Creek compared with Indiana?
The yearly rate is 117.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in West Creek?
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.