Penn Township, St. Joseph County, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Penn Township, St. Joseph County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Penn Township, St. Joseph County 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 |
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).
The headline for 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.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Penn Township, St. Joseph County since 2015, this page uses St. Joseph County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 15.3% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (6.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.8% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
The busiest hour is 11 am–12 pm, with 8.8% of truck crashes.
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 (6). After it: CR-REDFIELD St (2), US-20 (2) and 3rd St (1).
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 Penn Township, St. Joseph County fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in St. Joseph County.
- Check whether your routes use I-80, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at June schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Morning starts matter: 25.6% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Indiana.
- 22.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Indiana; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 6 |
| CR-REDFIELD St | 2 |
| US-20 | 2 |
| 3rd St | 1 |
| Beech Rd | 1 |
| CR-1 | 1 |
| CR-18 | 1 |
| CR-26 | 1 |
| CR-7 | 1 |
| Day Rd | 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 |
Penn Township, St. Joseph County at a glance
| Population | 68,693 |
| Land area | 62.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1,096 per sq mi |
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 |
In the 1990s about 58 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 127. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 4.2 a year in 2016–19 and 3.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Penn Township, St. Joseph County
How many truck crashes happen in Penn Township, St. Joseph County?
1,696 truck crashes have been reported in St. Joseph County since 2015, with 44 deaths and 658 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Penn Township, St. Joseph County?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Penn: 6.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Penn Township, St. Joseph County?
The worst month is January: 15.3% of truck crashes in St. Joseph County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Penn Township, 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 Penn Township, 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 do I plan a garbage truck route in Penn Township, 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.