Defiance, OH truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Defiance: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Defiance and Defiance County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Defiance County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 251 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Defiance County compares with Ohio
Defiance County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Defiance County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Defiance County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 56.5 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.8 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 1.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.49 | 0.50 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 34% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 6.7% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 14% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.0% | 21.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.1% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 36% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.8% | 42.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 26.7% | 25.8% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Ohio, Defiance County is lower on garbage-truck share, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow. It runs above Ohio on crashes per 100k residents / yr and deaths per 100 crashes.
What stands out in Defiance: US-24 deadliest road: 3 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Defiance since 2015.
Overview
Defiance County has recorded 251 truck crashes since 2015, with 122 people injured and 10 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 17 days.
Defiance had 60 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Defiance County numbers.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 10.0% of the yearly total, while September has the fewest (6.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 40.8% of truck crashes, against 42.3% across Ohio.
By time of day, 3–4 pm stands out with 9.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 6.7% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Ohio: 7.8%).
Where crashes happen
US-24 leads within 10 miles of Defiance with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come CR-17 Watson Rd (1), CR-17D (1) and CR-424 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 1.6% of the total, against 2.5% across Ohio.
Route planning tips for Defiance fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Defiance County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-24; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Defiance County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-24 | 3 |
| CR-17 Watson Rd | 1 |
| CR-17D | 1 |
| CR-424 | 1 |
| SR-15 | 1 |
| TR-161 Wilhelm Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Defiance County) |
|---|---|
| US-24 | 85 |
| SR-15 | 22 |
| US-127 | 20 |
| Clinton St | 18 |
| SR-249 | 12 |
| SR-18 | 11 |
| SR-2 | 10 |
| SR-66 | 5 |
Defiance at a glance
| Population | 17,180 |
| Land area | 12.9 sq mi |
| Density | 1,335 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 43512) | $71,841 |
| Median home value (ZIP 43512) | $156,378 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Defiance 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 | 26 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 26 | +3% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 19 | -28% | 0.4 |
| 2020s | 21 | +9% | 0.6 |
In the 1990s about 26 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 21. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Defiance
How common are truck crashes in Defiance?
251 truck crashes have been reported in Defiance County since 2015, with 10 deaths and 122 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Defiance?
Since 2015, US-24 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Defiance: 3.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Defiance?
The worst month is October: 10.0% of truck crashes in Defiance County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Defiance?
Garbage trucks were involved in 4 reported crashes in Defiance County since 2015 (1.6% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Defiance compare with Ohio?
The yearly rate is 56.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Defiance County, vs 50.8 for Ohio.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Defiance?
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.