Colfax Township, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Colfax Township: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Colfax Township and Newton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Newton 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 4.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Newton County compares with Indiana
Newton County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Newton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Newton County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 216.2 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 2.7× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.8 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.45 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 8.3% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 3.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.2% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.0% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.6% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 49.7% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 33.9% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
Newton County has lower values than Indiana for in rain, sleet or snow. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Newton County at a glance: 1 in 12 crashes involve a garbage truck (29 since 2015), vs 2.4% across Indiana.
Overview
Since 2015, 353 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Newton County. They injured 156 people and killed 17.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 12 days.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Colfax Township since 2015; patterns below come from Newton County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 10.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is October at 5.9%.
November through March accounts for 49.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (9.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 15.2% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Colfax is I-65, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-10 (2), US-41 (2) and I-65S (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
29 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 8.2% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in January (24% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 3.6 deaths compared with 4.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Colfax Township fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Newton County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-65; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at January schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 15.2% 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 Newton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 5 |
| SR-10 | 2 |
| US-41 | 2 |
| I-65S | 1 |
| SR-10E | 1 |
| SR-55 | 1 |
| US-41N | 1 |
| Us- 41 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Newton County) |
|---|---|
| US-41 | 81 |
| I-65 | 39 |
| SR-10 | 25 |
| US-41N | 25 |
| US-41S | 19 |
| SR-10W | 15 |
| SR-14 | 11 |
| State Rd 10 | 8 |
Colfax Township at a glance
| Population | 172 |
| Land area | 36.5 sq mi |
| Density | 5 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 47943) | $77,857 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Newton 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 | 18 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 30 | +72% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 32 | +5% | 1.3 |
| 2020s | 28 | -10% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 18 to 28. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.5 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Colfax Township
How many truck crashes happen in Colfax Township?
353 truck crashes have been reported in Newton County since 2015, with 17 deaths and 156 injuries.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Colfax Township?
NHTSA data shows I-65 with 5 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Colfax since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Colfax Township?
The worst month is January: 10.8% of truck crashes in Newton County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Colfax Township?
Since 2015, Newton County has reported 29 garbage-truck crashes, or 8.2% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Colfax Township compare with Indiana?
Newton County records 216.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Colfax Township?
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.