Portage, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Portage: 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
6 of 553 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Portage compares with Indiana
Portage against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Portage stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Portage | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 122.1 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 48% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.28 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 22% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.2% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 51% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.3% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.4% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.9% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 41.3% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.2% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Indiana, Portage is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Portage: 1.7× yearly fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Portage: 4.0 in 2016–19, 6.8 in 2020–24.
Overview
Since 2015, 553 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Portage. They injured 153 people and killed 8.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.6% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (6.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 41.3% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
By time of day, 12–1 am stands out with 8.7% of truck crashes.
14.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Portage is I-94, with 9 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-80 (7), US-20 (6) and Grant St (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 6 of the truck crashes here, or 1.1%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
Route planning tips for Portage fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-94, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 14.3% 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 Portage
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 9 |
| I-80 | 7 |
| US-20 | 6 |
| Grant St | 3 |
| SR-49 | 3 |
| US-12 | 3 |
| US-30 | 3 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| SR-130 | 2 |
| SR-149 | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Portage) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 192 |
| I-80 | 113 |
| US-20 | 30 |
| SR-249 | 30 |
| US-12 | 16 |
| I-90 | 12 |
| US-6 | 11 |
| I-80E | 8 |
Portage at a glance
| Population | 38,576 |
| Land area | 25.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,505 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46368) | $76,368 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46368) | $217,623 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Portage 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 | 17 | — | 5.8 |
| 2000s | 40 | +142% | 3.9 |
| 2010s | 45 | +11% | 3.2 |
| 2020s | 46 | +2% | 5.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 17 to 46. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 2.5 a year in 2016–19, 5.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Portage
How many truck crashes happen in Portage?
553 truck crashes have been reported in Portage since 2015, with 8 deaths and 153 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Portage?
I-94 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Portage since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Portage?
The worst month is January: 11.6% of truck crashes in Portage happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Portage?
Since 2015, Portage has reported 6 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.1% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Portage compare with Indiana?
Per 100,000 residents, Portage has 122.1 truck crashes a year; Indiana has 80.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Portage?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.