Carthage, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Carthage: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Carthage and Rush County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Rush County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9 of 138 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Rush County compares with Indiana
Rush County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Rush County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Rush County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 67.3 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 17% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 17% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.40 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 6.5% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.7× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.9% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 16% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.0% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 10.5% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 40% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 20.2% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 37% below the state |
Compared with Indiana, Rush County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Rush County: 1 in 16 crashes involve a garbage truck (9 since 2015), vs 2.4% across Indiana.
Overview
Police reported 138 crashes involving commercial trucks in Rush County since 2015: 53 people were injured and 3 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 32 days in fully reported years.
Carthage had 5 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Rush County numbers.
When crashes happen
November has the most truck crashes, 14.5% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.8%).
November through March accounts for 46.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (10.1%).
Road surface: 8.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Carthage is I-70, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-70E (2), CR-600 (1) and Sr- 3 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 9 crashes, 6.5% of the total, against 2.4% across Indiana.
Route planning tips for Carthage fleets
- Build extra time into November routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-70, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Morning starts matter: 25.0% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Indiana.
- 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 Rush County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 5 |
| I-70E | 2 |
| CR-600 | 1 |
| Sr- 3 | 1 |
| US-40 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Rush County) |
|---|---|
| SR-3S | 12 |
| SR-3N | 12 |
| State Rd 3 | 8 |
| SR-44E | 7 |
| US-52E | 4 |
| SR-44 | 3 |
| SR-3 | 3 |
| SR-244W | 3 |
Carthage at a glance
| Population | 916 |
| Land area | 0.6 sq mi |
| Density | 1,613 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46115) | $61,406 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46115) | $204,000 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Rush 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 | 4 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 10 | +155% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 10 | +0% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 12 | +13% | 0.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 4 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.0 a year in 2016–19 and 0.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Carthage
How many truck crashes happen in Carthage?
138 truck crashes have been reported in Rush County since 2015, with 3 deaths and 53 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Carthage?
Since 2015, I-70 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Carthage: 5.
When do most truck crashes happen in Carthage?
The worst month is November: 14.5% of truck crashes in Rush County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Carthage?
9 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Rush County since 2015, 6.5% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Carthage compare with Indiana?
Per 100,000 residents, Rush County has 67.3 truck crashes a year; Indiana has 80.8.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Carthage?
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.