Dalton, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dalton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dalton and Wayne County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Wayne County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
17 of 1,224 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Wayne County compares with Indiana
Wayne County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wayne County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wayne County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 141.7 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.8 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 38% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 38% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 10.1% | 10.6% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 18.9% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 15% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.0% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.7% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 32.5% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Indiana, Wayne County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). It runs above Indiana on crashes per 100k residents / yr.
Dalton at a glance: US-35 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Dalton: 2 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 1,224 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Wayne County. They injured 414 people and killed 21.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 4 days.
With 2 truck crashes reported in Dalton since 2015, this page uses Wayne County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
June has the most truck crashes, 13.3% of the yearly total, while November has the fewest (7.0%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 42.7% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
By time of day, 12–1 am stands out with 7.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 10.1% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-35 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). It is followed by I-70 (1), Sr- 1 (1) and Us- 35 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 17 crashes, 1.4% of the total, against 2.4% across Indiana.
Route planning tips for Dalton fleets
- Review driver schedules for June, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use US-35, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Wayne County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-35 | 2 |
| I-70 | 1 |
| Sr- 1 | 1 |
| Us- 35 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wayne County) |
|---|---|
| I-70 | 440 |
| I-70E | 126 |
| I-70W | 119 |
| US-35 | 24 |
| US-35N | 18 |
| US-27 | 17 |
| US-27N | 11 |
| East Main | 9 |
Dalton at a glance
| Population | 621 |
| Land area | 15.7 sq mi |
| Density | 39 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 47346) | $70,000 |
| Median home value (ZIP 47346) | $138,034 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wayne 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 | 34 | — | 3.2 |
| 2000s | 64 | +87% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 72 | +13% | 1.7 |
| 2020s | 104 | +44% | 1.4 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 34 a year in the 1990s and 104 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 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dalton
How common are truck crashes in Dalton?
1,224 truck crashes have been reported in Wayne County since 2015, with 21 deaths and 414 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Dalton?
US-35 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Dalton since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dalton?
The worst month is June: 13.3% of truck crashes in Wayne County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Dalton?
Since 2015, Wayne County has reported 17 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Dalton compared with Indiana?
The yearly rate is 141.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Wayne County, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Dalton?
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.