ZIP 46404 (Gary, IN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 46404: 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). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and after dark.
ZIP 46404 at a glance: I-80 deadliest road: 25 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 46404 since 2015.
Overview
Police reported 6,927 crashes involving commercial trucks in Lake County since 2015: 2,451 people were injured and 108 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 2 truck crashes a day.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 9.8% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.5%.
November through March accounts for 42.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 42.7% in Indiana.
The busiest hour is 12–1 am, with 9.0% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 12.4% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of ZIP 46404 is I-80, with 25 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. After it: I-90 (4), I-94 (4) and US-12 (4).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 94 of the truck crashes here, or 1.4%, compared with 2.4% in Indiana.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (11%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.1, vs 1.6 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for ZIP 46404 fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Lake County.
- Where you can, review stops along I-80; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 12.4% of truck crashes here, more than Indiana; schedule winter checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Lake County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 25 |
| I-90 | 4 |
| I-94 | 4 |
| US-12 | 4 |
| Grant St | 3 |
| US-30 | 3 |
| Brainard Ave | 2 |
| I- 80 | 2 |
| I-65 | 2 |
| US-12W | 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 46404 at a glance
| Population | 15,428 |
| Density | 992 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $42,256 |
| Median home value | $111,230 |
| Home ownership | 56% |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 352 a year in the 1990s and 647 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. 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 46404
How common are truck crashes in ZIP 46404?
Since 2015, 6,927 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Lake County (2,451 injured, 108 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in ZIP 46404?
NHTSA data shows I-80 with 25 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 46404 since 2015, the highest of any road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 46404?
The worst month is January: 9.8% of truck crashes in Lake County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in ZIP 46404?
Since 2015, Lake County has reported 94 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.4% of its truck crashes.
How does ZIP 46404 compare with Indiana for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 117.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Lake County, vs 80.8 for Indiana.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in ZIP 46404?
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.