ZIP 45838 (Elgin, OH) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 45838: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Van Wert County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
3 of 381 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Van Wert County compares with Ohio
Van Wert County against Ohio and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Van Wert County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Van Wert County | Ohio | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 109.8 | 50.8 | 49.7 | 2.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.9 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.50 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 0.9% | 2.5% | 2.3% | 66% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 8.3% | 7.8% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 15.2% | 21.4% | 23.7% | 29% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.3% | 18.9% | 13.8% | 14% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.4% | 42.3% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.5% | 25.8% | 24.8% | 17% below the state |
Van Wert County sits below Ohio on garbage-truck share, morning rush (6–10 am) and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
The headline for Van Wert County: 1 in 116 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 0.9%, vs 2.5% in Ohio.
Overview
Since 2015, 381 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Van Wert County. They injured 230 people and killed 18.
That averages about one truck crash every 12 days in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in May (9.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.2%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.3% for Ohio.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 9.7% of truck crashes.
8.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 7.8% across Ohio.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-127 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (9). Next come SR-116 (1), SR-197 (1) and US-30 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
3 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 0.8% share (Ohio: 2.5%).
Route planning tips for ZIP 45838 fleets
- Plan May schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Van Wert County.
- Check whether your routes use US-127, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Van Wert County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-127 | 9 |
| SR-116 | 1 |
| SR-197 | 1 |
| US-30 | 1 |
| Wren Landeck Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Van Wert County) |
|---|---|
| US-30 | 181 |
| US-127 | 53 |
| US-224 | 26 |
| Washington St | 22 |
| SR-118 | 17 |
| SR-81 | 9 |
| Liberty Union Rd | 5 |
| SR-49 | 5 |
ZIP 45838 at a glance
| Population | 72 |
| Density | 353 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $91,181 |
| Home ownership | 93% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Van Wert 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 | 4 | — | 1.4 |
| 2000s | 20 | +412% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 32 | +54% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 28 | -10% | 1.6 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 4 to 28. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 1.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 45838
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 45838?
Since 2015, 381 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Van Wert County (230 injured, 18 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 45838?
US-127 had 9 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of ZIP 45838 since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 45838?
Truck crashes in Van Wert County peak in May, with 9.7% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 45838?
Since 2015, Van Wert County has reported 3 garbage-truck crashes, or 0.8% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 45838 compare with Ohio for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 109.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Van Wert County, vs 50.8 for Ohio.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 45838?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.