Bluffton, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Bluffton: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Bluffton and Wells County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Wells County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 162 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Wells County compares with Indiana
Wells County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Wells County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Wells County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.1 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 43% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.1 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 11% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.2% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 42% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.7% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 11.6% | 17.4% | 13.8% | 33% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.2% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.5% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 42% below the state |
Wells County has lower values than Indiana for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It runs above Indiana on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
Wells County at a glance: August 13.6% of truck crashes happen in August, more than any other month.
Overview
Since 2015, 162 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Wells County. They injured 54 people and killed 6.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 28 days.
Only 64 truck crashes were reported in Bluffton since 2015; patterns below come from Wells County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 13.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 4.9%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 45.2% of truck crashes, against 42.7% across Indiana.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 9.9% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 6.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Bluffton since 2015: SR-1 (1), SR-116 (1), SR-218 (1) and SR-218E (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
5 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.1% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Route planning tips for Bluffton fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 26.7% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Indiana.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Wells County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-1 | 1 |
| SR-116 | 1 |
| SR-218 | 1 |
| SR-218E | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Wells County) |
|---|---|
| US-224 | 12 |
| State Rd 1 | 9 |
| SR-1N | 9 |
| SR-1S | 8 |
| SR-1 | 5 |
| Adams | 4 |
| SR-218 | 4 |
| US-224W | 4 |
Bluffton at a glance
| Population | 10,556 |
| Land area | 8.5 sq mi |
| Density | 1,238 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 46714) | $66,441 |
| Median home value (ZIP 46714) | $183,031 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Wells 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 | 6 | — | 0.7 |
| 2000s | 11 | +82% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 11 | +1% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 14 | +29% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 6 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 14. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Bluffton
How common are truck crashes in Bluffton?
162 truck crashes have been reported in Wells County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 54 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Bluffton?
Truck crashes in Wells County peak in August, with 13.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Bluffton?
Since 2015, Wells County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.1% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Bluffton compared with Indiana?
Per 100,000 residents, Wells County has 46.1 truck crashes a year; Indiana has 80.8.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Bluffton?
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.