ZIP 46218 (Indianapolis, IN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 46218: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Marion 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
2.8 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Marion County compares with Indiana
Marion County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Marion County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Marion County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 94.7 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 48% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.33 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 12% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 5.2% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 51% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 21.6% | 22.4% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.2% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.4% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 31.2% | 32.0% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Indiana, Marion County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr.
What stands out in ZIP 46218: I-465 deadliest road: 15 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 46218 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 10,966 crashes involving commercial trucks in Marion County since 2015: 3,567 people were injured and 157 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 3 truck crashes a day.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (9.0% of the year) and are lowest in February (7.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.4% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 am than at any other hour (7.6%).
Road surface: 5.2% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 46218 is I-465, with 15 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come I-70 (9), Harding St (5) and I-65 (5).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 221 crashes, 2.0% of the total, against 2.4% across Indiana.
Their busiest month is May, with 11% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 2.8 deaths compared with 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 46218 fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-465 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at May schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Marion County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-465 | 15 |
| I-70 | 9 |
| Harding St | 5 |
| I-65 | 5 |
| I-465E | 3 |
| I-65S | 3 |
| I-70E | 3 |
| Holt Rd | 2 |
| Kentucky Ave | 2 |
| Raymond St | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Marion County) |
|---|---|
| I-465 | 1,311 |
| I-65 | 630 |
| I-70 | 554 |
| I-65N | 393 |
| I-465N | 342 |
| I-65S | 291 |
| I-465S | 281 |
| I-70W | 278 |
ZIP 46218 at a glance
| Population | 29,360 |
| Density | 1,188 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $38,063 |
| Median home value | $103,886 |
| Home ownership | 53% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Marion 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 | 286 | — | 11.0 |
| 2000s | 564 | +97% | 6.4 |
| 2010s | 711 | +26% | 7.9 |
| 2020s | 1,010 | +42% | 14.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 286 to 1,010. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 10.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 14.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 46218
How many truck crashes happen in ZIP 46218?
Marion County has had 10,966 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 3,567 people and killing 157.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 46218?
NHTSA data shows I-465 with 15 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 46218 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 46218?
The worst month is October: 9.0% of truck crashes in Marion County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in ZIP 46218?
Garbage trucks were involved in 221 reported crashes in Marion County since 2015 (2.0% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in ZIP 46218 compare with Indiana?
The yearly rate is 94.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Marion County, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 46218?
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.