Thayer, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Thayer: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Thayer 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 |
Compared with Indiana, Newton County is lower on 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.
With 4 truck crashes reported in Thayer since 2015, this page uses Newton County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 10.8% of the yearly total, while October has the fewest (5.9%).
November through March accounts for 49.7% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
By time of day, 1–2 pm stands out with 9.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-65 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). Next come SR-10 (2), SR-55 (2) and US-41 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 29 crashes, 8.2% of the total, against 2.4% across Indiana.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (24%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 3.6, vs 4.8 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Thayer fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Newton County.
- Check whether your routes use I-65, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in January; review collection routes for that month.
- With 15.2% 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 Newton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-65 | 3 |
| SR-10 | 2 |
| SR-55 | 2 |
| US-41 | 2 |
| I-65S | 1 |
| SR-10E | 1 |
| SR-2 | 1 |
| SR-231 | 1 |
| Sr- 2 | 1 |
| US-231 | 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 |
Thayer at a glance
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46381) | $64,821 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 18 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 28. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Thayer
How common are truck crashes in Thayer?
Since 2015, 353 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Newton County (156 injured, 17 killed).
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Thayer?
Since 2015, I-65 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Thayer: 3.
When do most truck crashes happen in Thayer?
January has the most truck crashes in Newton County, 10.8% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Thayer?
29 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Newton County since 2015, 8.2% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Thayer compare with Indiana?
Newton County records 216.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Thayer?
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.