Van Bibber Lake, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Van Bibber Lake: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Van Bibber Lake 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 sits below Indiana on deaths per 100 crashes and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Indiana on crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Putnam County: 17.0% share of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Overview
Putnam County has recorded 700 truck crashes since 2015, with 244 people injured and 12 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 6 days.
Van Bibber Lake 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
January has the most truck crashes, 12.7% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (5.9%).
November through March accounts for 46.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 pm than at any other hour (8.0%).
17.0% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Van Bibber Lake since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-250 E (1), SR-36 (1), US-231N (1) and West Walnut (1).
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 Van Bibber Lake fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Putnam County.
- 17.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Indiana; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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.
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 |
| US-231N | 1 |
| West Walnut | 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 |
Van Bibber Lake at a glance
| Land area | 0.3 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46135) | $73,677 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46135) | $225,527 |
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 |
In the 1990s about 14 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 59. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 0.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Van Bibber Lake
How many truck crashes happen in Van Bibber Lake?
Since 2015, 700 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Putnam County (244 injured, 12 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Van Bibber Lake?
The worst month is January: 12.7% of truck crashes in Putnam County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Van Bibber Lake?
Garbage trucks were involved in 16 reported crashes in Putnam County since 2015 (2.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Van Bibber Lake compare with Indiana?
Per 100,000 residents, Putnam County has 153.9 truck crashes a year; Indiana has 80.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Van Bibber 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.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.