Prairie Township, LaPorte County, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Prairie Township, LaPorte County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Prairie Township, LaPorte County and LaPorte County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use LaPorte County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3.6 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.2 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How LaPorte County compares with Indiana
LaPorte County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where LaPorte County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | LaPorte County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 133.8 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 27% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 21.2% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 2.0× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.5% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.9% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 32.8% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
LaPorte County has lower values than Indiana for garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in LaPorte County: 21.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 10.6% in Indiana.
Overview
Police reported 1,765 crashes involving commercial trucks in LaPorte County since 2015: 639 people were injured and 55 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 2 days in fully reported years.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Prairie Township, LaPorte County since 2015, this page uses LaPorte County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 13.9% of the yearly total, while March has the fewest (5.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.6% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Indiana.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 21.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Prairie is SR-8, with 3 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: US-30 (1) and US-421 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
29 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.6% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Their busiest month is January, with 24% of garbage-truck crashes.
They recorded 3.6 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.2 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Prairie Township, LaPorte County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in LaPorte County.
- Check whether your routes use SR-8, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 21.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Indiana; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 LaPorte County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-8 | 3 |
| US-30 | 1 |
| US-421 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (LaPorte County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 338 |
| I-80 | 283 |
| US-20 | 259 |
| US-30 | 139 |
| US-421 | 93 |
| SR-2 | 57 |
| US-35 | 49 |
| SR-39 | 39 |
Prairie Township, LaPorte County at a glance
| Population | 215 |
| Land area | 24.0 sq mi |
| Density | 9 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46340) | $58,717 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46340) | $169,601 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in LaPorte 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 | 68 | — | 6.3 |
| 2000s | 128 | +88% | 5.6 |
| 2010s | 146 | +14% | 4.1 |
| 2020s | 140 | -4% | 3.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 68 a year in the 1990s and 140 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 5.5 a year in 2016–19 and 3.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Prairie Township, LaPorte County
How many truck accidents are there in Prairie Township, LaPorte County?
LaPorte County has had 1,765 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 639 people and killing 55.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Prairie Township, LaPorte County?
Since 2015, SR-8 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Prairie: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Prairie Township, LaPorte County?
The worst month is January: 13.9% of truck crashes in LaPorte County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Prairie Township, LaPorte County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 29 reported crashes in LaPorte County since 2015 (1.6% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Prairie Township, LaPorte County compared with Indiana?
Per 100,000 residents, LaPorte County has 133.8 truck crashes a year; Indiana has 80.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Prairie Township, LaPorte County?
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.