Ripley County, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ripley 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
20 of 320 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Ripley County compares with Indiana
Ripley County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ripley County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ripley County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 94.0 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.3% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 7.0% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 34% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.8% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 14.6% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 16% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.4% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 25.8% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 19% below the state |
Compared with Indiana, Ripley County is lower on on snow, slush or ice, in rain, sleet or snow and after dark. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Ripley County: 1 in 16 crashes involve a garbage truck (20 since 2015), vs 2.4% across Indiana.
Overview
Ripley County has recorded 320 truck crashes since 2015, with 114 people injured and 15 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 13 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (12.5% of the year) and are lowest in September (6.6%).
November through March accounts for 42.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
The busiest hour is 7–8 am, with 8.1% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 7.0% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
US-421 leads in Ripley County with 4 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-129 (2), I-74 (1) and SR-350 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 20 of the truck crashes here, or 6.2%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in November (20% of them).
Route planning tips for Ripley County fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-421 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in November; review collection routes for that month.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 26.8% of truck crashes here, more than Indiana; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 Ripley County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in Ripley County) |
|---|---|
| US-421 | 4 |
| SR-129 | 2 |
| I-74 | 1 |
| SR-350 | 1 |
| Us- 421 | 1 |
| Us- 50 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ripley County) |
|---|---|
| I-74 | 44 |
| US-50 | 32 |
| US-421 | 20 |
| US-50W | 19 |
| US-421N | 12 |
| US-50E | 10 |
| US-421S | 9 |
| I-74W | 9 |
Ripley County at a glance
| Population | 29,214 |
| Land area | 446.4 sq mi |
| Density | 65 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $72,774 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ripley 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 | 10 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 19 | +88% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 26 | +34% | 0.7 |
| 2020s | 25 | -3% | 1.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 10 to 25. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in Ripley County
ZIP codes in Ripley County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about Ripley County
How common are truck crashes in Ripley County?
Since 2015, 320 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Ripley County (114 injured, 15 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Ripley County?
Since 2015, US-421 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes in Ripley County: 4.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Ripley County?
February has the most truck crashes in Ripley County, 12.5% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Ripley County?
Garbage trucks were involved in 20 reported crashes in Ripley County since 2015 (6.2% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Ripley County compared with Indiana?
The yearly rate is 94.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Ripley County, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ripley County?
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.