Porter County, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Porter County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Porter County compares with Indiana
Porter County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Porter County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Porter County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 99.9 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 45% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.3% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.3% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.5% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.8% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.8% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
Porter County has lower values than Indiana for injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Porter County: 2.3× fatal truck crashes in Porter County per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (5.8 vs 2.5).
Overview
Police reported 2,058 crashes involving commercial trucks in Porter County since 2015: 660 people were injured and 56 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (11.3% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.9%).
November through March accounts for 43.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 7.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-94 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (10). Next come US-20 (5), SR-49 (3) and SR-8 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 25 of the truck crashes here, or 1.2%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in May (16% of them).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 0.0, vs 2.8 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Porter County fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along I-94; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 15.3% 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
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 Porter County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Porter County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 10 |
| US-20 | 5 |
| SR-49 | 3 |
| SR-8 | 3 |
| US-30 | 3 |
| SR-130 | 2 |
| SR-149 | 2 |
| Division Rd | 1 |
| Mu-Calumet Ave | 1 |
| Mu-Swanson Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Porter County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 581 |
| I-80 | 222 |
| US-30 | 135 |
| US-20 | 107 |
| SR-49 | 88 |
| US-6 | 43 |
| US-30W | 41 |
| US-30E | 33 |
Porter County at a glance
| Population | 175,860 |
| Land area | 418.1 sq mi |
| Density | 421 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $85,859 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Porter 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 | 82 | — | 5.8 |
| 2000s | 154 | +87% | 3.9 |
| 2010s | 164 | +7% | 3.2 |
| 2020s | 171 | +4% | 5.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 82 a year in the 1990s and 171 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 5.8 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Porter County
ZIP codes in Porter County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Porter County
How common are truck crashes in Porter County?
Porter County has had 2,058 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 660 people and killing 56.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Porter County?
Since 2015, I-94 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Porter County: 10.
When do most truck crashes happen in Porter County?
Truck crashes in Porter County peak in January, with 11.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Porter County?
25 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Porter County since 2015, 1.2% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Porter County compared with Indiana?
The yearly rate is 99.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Porter County, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Porter County?
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.