Bear Lake, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bear Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bear Lake and Noble County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Noble County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
10 of 273 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Noble County compares with Indiana
Noble County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Noble County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Noble County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 51.7 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 36% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.0% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.0% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.7% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.6% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 47.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 26.7% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 16% below the state |
Noble County has lower values than Indiana for crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Noble County: 1 in 25 crashes involve a garbage truck (10 since 2015), vs 2.4% across Indiana.
Overview
Noble County has recorded 273 truck crashes since 2015, with 102 people injured and 10 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 15 days.
Bear Lake had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Noble County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (4.8%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 47.0% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Indiana.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 12.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-33 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). Next come CR-KNAPP Lake Rd (1), CR-WOLF Lake Rd (1) and SR-9 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 10 of the truck crashes here, or 3.7%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
Route planning tips for Bear Lake fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Noble County.
- Look at alternatives to US-33 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 24.7% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Indiana.
- With 15.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Indiana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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.
Reporting was incomplete in 2024, so those years are greyed out and left out of rates and comparisons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Noble County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-33 | 2 |
| CR-KNAPP Lake Rd | 1 |
| CR-WOLF Lake Rd | 1 |
| SR-9 | 1 |
| SR-9S | 1 |
| US-33N | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Noble County) |
|---|---|
| US-33 | 45 |
| US-6 | 30 |
| SR-5 | 10 |
| SR-8 | 9 |
| SR-3N | 8 |
| SR-9 | 8 |
| US-33N | 8 |
| US-6E | 8 |
Bear Lake at a glance
| Land area | 0.2 sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Noble 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 | 12 | — | 2.1 |
| 2000s | 22 | +84% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 24 | +9% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 24 | -2% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 12 a year in the 1990s and 24 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bear Lake
How common are truck crashes in Bear Lake?
Since 2015, 273 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Noble County (102 injured, 10 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Bear Lake?
NHTSA data shows US-33 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Bear Lake since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Bear Lake?
The worst month is January: 11.7% of truck crashes in Noble County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Bear Lake?
Since 2015, Noble County has reported 10 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.7% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Bear Lake compare with Indiana?
Per 100,000 residents, Noble County has 51.7 truck crashes a year; Indiana has 80.8.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Bear Lake?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
Crash reporting to FMCSA was incomplete in 2024; those years are greyed out and left out of rates. 2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.