Petroleum, IN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Petroleum: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Petroleum 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 |
Compared with Indiana, Wells County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Wells County: August 13.6% of truck crashes happen in August, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 162 crashes involving commercial trucks in Wells County since 2015: 54 people were injured and 6 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 28 days.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in Petroleum since 2015; patterns below come from Wells County as a whole.
When crashes happen
August has the most truck crashes, 13.6% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.9%).
November through March accounts for 45.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 9.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 6.2% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Petroleum is SR-18W, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: SR-18 (1), SR-1N (1) and SR-218 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 3.1%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
Route planning tips for Petroleum fleets
- Review driver schedules for August, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use SR-18W, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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
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 Wells County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-18W | 2 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| SR-1N | 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 |
Petroleum at a glance
| Land area | 0.1 sq mi |
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 crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Petroleum
How many truck crashes happen in Petroleum?
162 truck crashes have been reported in Wells County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 54 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Petroleum?
NHTSA data shows SR-18W with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Petroleum since 2015, the highest of any road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Petroleum?
The worst month is August: 13.6% of truck crashes in Wells County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Petroleum?
Garbage trucks were involved in 5 reported crashes in Wells County since 2015 (3.1% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Petroleum compare with Indiana?
Wells County records 46.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Petroleum?
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.