Chain-O-Lakes, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Chain-O-Lakes: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Chain-O-Lakes and St. Joseph County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use St. Joseph County numbers.
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 |
St. Joseph County has lower values than Indiana for crashes per 100k residents / yr. It runs above Indiana on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in St. Joseph County: 22.3% on snowy, slushy or icy roads, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,696 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in St. Joseph County. They injured 658 people and killed 44.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Chain-O-Lakes since 2015; patterns below come from St. Joseph County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 15.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (6.1%).
November through March accounts for 48.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 8.8% of truck crashes.
22.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 10.6% across Indiana.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-2 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). It is followed by I-80 (5), US-12 (4) and SR-51 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
44 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.6% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Garbage-truck crashes peak in June (11% of them).
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 2.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Chain-O-Lakes fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in St. Joseph County.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-2; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Waste haulers: June is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in St. Joseph County.
- Morning starts matter: 25.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Indiana.
- With 22.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Indiana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 St. Joseph County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-2 | 6 |
| I-80 | 5 |
| US-12 | 4 |
| SR-51 | 2 |
| US-20 | 2 |
| CR-RED Bud Trl | 1 |
| Mayflower | 1 |
| Mu-Auten Rd | 1 |
| Mu-Fairview Ave | 1 |
| Olive St | 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 |
Chain-O-Lakes at a glance
| Land area | 1.5 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46628) | $61,759 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46628) | $176,690 |
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. NHTSA counts 4.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Chain-O-Lakes
How many truck accidents are there in Chain-O-Lakes?
1,696 truck crashes have been reported in St. Joseph County since 2015, with 44 deaths and 658 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Chain-O-Lakes?
Since 2015, SR-2 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Chain-O-Lakes: 6.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Chain-O-Lakes?
Truck crashes in St. Joseph County peak in January, with 15.3% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Chain-O-Lakes?
Since 2015, St. Joseph County has reported 44 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.6% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Chain-O-Lakes compare with Indiana?
St. Joseph County records 52.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Chain-O-Lakes?
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.