ZIP 46526 (Goshen, IN) truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes around ZIP 46526: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes here and in Elkhart 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
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.3 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Elkhart County compares with Indiana
Elkhart County against Indiana and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Elkhart County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Elkhart County | Indiana | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 81.7 | 80.8 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.42 | 0.36 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.1% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 1.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 14.3% | 10.6% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.3% | 22.4% | 23.7% | 1.3× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.2% | 17.4% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 45.6% | 42.7% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 27.2% | 32.0% | 24.8% | 15% below the state |
Elkhart County sits below Indiana on after dark. It runs above Indiana on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Elkhart County: November garbage-truck crashes peak in November (17% of the year's total).
Overview
Police reported 1,956 crashes involving commercial trucks in Elkhart County since 2015: 815 people were injured and 63 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 2 days.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 11.3% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 7.0%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 45.6% of truck crashes, vs 42.7% for Indiana.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 7.9% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 14.3% of truck crashes, compared with 10.6% in Indiana.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of ZIP 46526 since 2015 were spread across roads: US-20 (4), US-6 (4), CR-17 (3), CR-40 (3) and SR-119 (2).
Garbage & waste trucks
59 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 3.0% share (Indiana: 2.4%).
Their busiest month is November, with 17% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 0.0 deaths compared with 3.3 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for ZIP 46526 fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: November is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Elkhart County.
- 28.3% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Indiana; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 14.3% of truck crashes here, more than Indiana; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Elkhart County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-20 | 4 |
| US-6 | 4 |
| CR-17 | 3 |
| CR-40 | 3 |
| SR-119 | 2 |
| US-33 | 2 |
| Us- 6 | 2 |
| CR-18 | 1 |
| CR-26 | 1 |
| CR-35 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Elkhart County) |
|---|---|
| I-80 | 245 |
| US-20 | 207 |
| US-33 | 110 |
| US-6 | 77 |
| SR-15 | 71 |
| SR-13 | 59 |
| SR-19 | 47 |
| SR-120 | 47 |
ZIP 46526 at a glance
| Population | 33,668 |
| Density | 194 per sq mi |
| Median household income | $67,461 |
| Median home value | $203,866 |
| Home ownership | 69% |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Elkhart 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 | 89 | — | 5.4 |
| 2000s | 148 | +67% | 4.3 |
| 2010s | 160 | +8% | 4.2 |
| 2020s | 155 | -3% | 5.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 89 a year in the 1990s and 155 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 4.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby ZIP codes
Questions fleets ask about ZIP 46526
How many truck accidents are there in ZIP 46526?
1,956 truck crashes have been reported in Elkhart County since 2015, with 63 deaths and 815 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in ZIP 46526?
January has the most truck crashes in Elkhart County, 11.3% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in ZIP 46526?
Since 2015, Elkhart County has reported 59 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.0% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in ZIP 46526 compared with Indiana?
Elkhart County records 81.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 80.8 across Indiana.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in ZIP 46526?
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.