Russell, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Russell: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Russell and Putnam County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Putnam County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 700 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Putnam County compares with Indiana
Putnam County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Putnam County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Putnam County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 153.9 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.9× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.7 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 41% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 2.4% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.0% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.1% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 19% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.5% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 1.5× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.9% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 30.3% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
Putnam County has lower values than Indiana for deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Putnam County: 17.0% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Overview
Police reported 700 crashes involving commercial trucks in Putnam County since 2015: 244 people were injured and 12 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
Russell had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Putnam County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.7% of truck crashes; the quietest is September at 5.9%.
November through March accounts for 46.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 8.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 17.0% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Russell happened on CR-250 E (1), SR-36 (1), SR-47 (1) and US-231S (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 16 of the truck crashes here, or 2.3%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
Route planning tips for Russell fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 17.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Indiana; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Putnam County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-250 E | 1 |
| SR-36 | 1 |
| SR-47 | 1 |
| US-231S | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Putnam County) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 276 |
| US-231 | 32 |
| I-70 West | 25 |
| US-231S | 22 |
| I-70 East | 21 |
| I-70E | 20 |
| US-40 | 19 |
| I-70W | 18 |
Russell at a glance
| Population | 763 |
| Land area | 35.5 sq mi |
| Density | 21 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46175) | $74,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46175) | $241,890 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Putnam 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 | 14 | — | 1.1 |
| 2000s | 30 | +119% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 51 | +72% | 1.6 |
| 2020s | 59 | +15% | 0.8 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 14 a year in the 1990s and 59 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Russell
How common are truck crashes in Russell?
700 truck crashes have been reported in Putnam County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 244 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Russell?
Truck crashes in Putnam County peak in January, with 12.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Russell?
16 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Putnam County since 2015, 2.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Russell compared with Indiana?
Putnam County records 153.9 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Russell?
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.