St. Joseph County, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in St. Joseph 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 2.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How St. Joseph County compares with Indiana
St. Joseph County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where St. Joseph County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | St. Joseph County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 52.4 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 35% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.4 | same |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.1× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 22.3% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 2.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.6% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 21.1% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.8% | 42.7% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 30.5% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Indiana, St. Joseph County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr. It runs above Indiana on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
St. Joseph County at a glance: 22.3% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Overview
St. Joseph County has recorded 1,696 truck crashes since 2015, with 658 people injured and 44 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 3 days.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (15.3% of the year) and are lowest in May (6.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.8% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (8.8%).
Road surface: 22.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-80 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (8). After it: SR-2 (6), SR-23 (2) and US-20 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 44 crashes, 2.6% of the total, against 2.4% across Indiana.
Garbage-truck crashes peak in June (11% of them).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 2.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for St. Joseph County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in June; review collection routes for that month.
- Morning starts matter: 25.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Indiana.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 22.3% of truck crashes here, more than Indiana; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in St. Joseph County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (in St. Joseph County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 8 |
| SR-2 | 6 |
| SR-23 | 2 |
| US-20 | 2 |
| US-20W | 2 |
| Beech Rd | 1 |
| Day Rd | 1 |
| Mayflower | 1 |
| Mu-Auten Rd | 1 |
| Mu-Fairview Ave | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (St. Joseph County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 318 |
| US-20 | 122 |
| SR-2 | 75 |
| US-31 | 41 |
| SR-23 | 37 |
| SR-331 | 31 |
| St Joseph Valley Pkwy | 29 |
| SR-933 | 26 |
St. Joseph County at a glance
| Population | 273,744 |
| Land area | 457.8 sq mi |
| Density | 598 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP average) | $71,412 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in St. Joseph 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 | 58 | — | 3.1 |
| 2000s | 124 | +114% | 2.6 |
| 2010s | 139 | +12% | 3.1 |
| 2020s | 127 | -8% | 3.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 58 to 127. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 4.2 a year in 2016–19, 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Cities, towns & communities in St. Joseph County
ZIP codes in St. Joseph County
Nearby counties
Questions fleets ask about St. Joseph County
How many truck crashes happen in St. Joseph County?
Since 2015, 1,696 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in St. Joseph County (658 injured, 44 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in St. Joseph County?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 8 fatal large-truck crashes in St. Joseph County since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in St. Joseph County?
January has the most truck crashes in St. Joseph County, 15.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in St. Joseph County?
Since 2015, St. Joseph County has reported 44 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.6% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in St. Joseph County compared with Indiana?
St. Joseph County records 52.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in St. Joseph County?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.