ZIP 46394 (Whiting, IN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 46394: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Lake 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
1.1 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.6 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Lake County compares with Indiana
Lake County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Lake County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Lake County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 117.4 | 80.8 | 49.7 | 1.5× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 45% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 40% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 12.4% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.1% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 16.9% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.0% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 35.8% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Lake County has lower values than Indiana for deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
The headline for ZIP 46394: 2.2× fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 46394 per year, 2020–24 vs 2016–19 (11.2 vs 5.0).
Overview
Lake County has recorded 6,927 truck crashes since 2015, with 2,451 people injured and 108 killed.
That averages about 2 truck crashes a day in fully reported years.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (9.8% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.5%).
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
More truck crashes happen at 12–1 am than at any other hour (9.0%).
Road surface: 12.4% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Indiana: 10.6%).
Where crashes happen
I-80 leads within 10 miles of ZIP 46394 with 18 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. Next come I-94 (11), I-57 (5) and SR-83 (3).
Garbage & waste trucks
94 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.4% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (11%).
They recorded 1.1 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.6 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 46394 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at August schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- With 12.4% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Indiana), plan winter equipment checks early.
- 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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 18 |
| I-94 | 11 |
| I-57 | 5 |
| SR-83 | 3 |
| 103rd St | 2 |
| Brainard Ave | 2 |
| I-90 | 2 |
| US-12 | 2 |
| US-12W | 2 |
| US-41N | 2 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Lake County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 2,571 |
| I-65 | 1,116 |
| I-90 | 224 |
| US-41 | 101 |
| I-94 | 89 |
| US-30 | 85 |
| I-80E | 68 |
| US-41S | 57 |
ZIP 46394 at a glance
| Population | 11,894 |
| Density | 968 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $66,176 |
| Median home value | $173,471 |
| Home ownership | 65% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Lake 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 | 352 | — | 10.2 |
| 2000s | 554 | +58% | 8.7 |
| 2010s | 482 | -13% | 6.4 |
| 2020s | 647 | +34% | 8.8 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 352 to 647. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 6.2 a year in 2016–19 and 8.8 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 46394
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 46394?
Since 2015, 6,927 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lake County (2,451 injured, 108 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in ZIP 46394?
Since 2015, I-80 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 46394: 18.
Which month has the most truck crashes in ZIP 46394?
The worst month is January: 9.8% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 46394?
94 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Lake County since 2015, 1.4% of all truck crashes.
How does ZIP 46394 compare with Indiana for truck crashes?
Lake County records 117.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 46394?
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.