Dangerous Indiana Highways for Truck Accidents

An accident involving a commercial truck poses a greater risk of serious injuries than a collision between two passenger vehicles. A fully loaded tractor truck may weigh 20 times as much as a typical 4,000-pound car. When a heavy vehicle and a light vehicle collide, the occupants of the smaller, lighter vehicle typically sustain the brunt of the injuries.

In 2016, there were 16,550 accidents involving trucks or other large commercial vehicles in Indiana. Of those accidents, 126 of the truck crashes caused deaths and 2,182 resulted in injury. The statistics from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute highlight how dangerous 18-wheeler accidents can be for drivers in Indiana.

Why Certain Intersections and Highways are Dangerous for Trucks

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), common road conditions that can contribute to trucking accidents include:

• Road construction work zones

• Poorly maintained roads
• Congested roads
• Roads with reduced lanes
• Intersections where more than two streets converge
• Roads that intersect at a weird angle
• Roads with heavy pedestrian or bicycle traffic
• Traffic signals that malfunction

Blind intersections also pose danger. When trees, hills, parked cars or other conditions block your view of traffic, it can make it hard to see oncoming traffic from one or more directions.

Dangerous Highways in Indiana

While trucking accidents can happen anywhere, certain roads and highways present a higher risk of a collision. Indiana has a high volume of truck traffic. Indiana highways are some of the most dangerous in the country.

The following highways are considered the most dangerous in the state of Indiana, according to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT).

Interstate 90 (Indiana Toll Road)

The I-90 freeway is a major thoroughfare for travelers, especially commercial trucks, since it stretches 3,000 miles from the East Coast, through Chicago to the West Coast. I-90, which is in the northern part of the state, has seen many truck accidents and fatalities, due to a heavy volume of traffic and the fact it merges with other interstates.

Interstate 65

The section of Interstate 65 through northwest Indiana is the 12th deadliest highway per driver mile in Indiana.

Currently, I-65 is under expansion to improve traffic flow and add capacity on I-65 from State Road 2 to U.S. 30 in Newton and Lake Counties. Improvements being made on this road will affect driving conditions while the construction is underway and make it difficult to navigate.

Interstate 70

Interstate 70 branches along a nearly 60-mile stretch of road between the Illinois state line and the Hendricks County line. This part of the interstate has seen more than 500 crashes and several fatalities in the past few years.

Indiana Highway 60

Highway 60 (also known as “Death Row”) is one of the deadliest highways in Indiana. It is around 60 miles long, with a two-lane road that winds through Lawrence County and ends in Sellersburg, passing through Clark, Lawrence, Orange, and Washington counties. A high number of fatalities have occurred on this stretch of highway.

Borman Expressway (Interstate 80/94)

More than a million vehicles travel over the Borman Expressway in Indiana each day. It is one of the region’s deadliest roads, claiming 71 lives on the Lake County stretch and another 19 in Porter County during the past twelve years, according to the NWI Times.

Hoosier Heartland Highway

The Hoosier Heartland Highway is an interchange just south of Logansport where four major roads converge. This intersection gives drivers access to U.S. 35, U.S. 24, Indiana 25 and Indiana 29. One major issue causing accidents is the fact that when drivers get on the roads they believe are the on-ramps to the Hoosier Heartland Highway, they are not on the actual on-ramps. Instead, drivers quickly encounter a stop sign for crossroads, which are four-lane highways that do not yield to traffic. Many drivers fail to stop at the stop signs and cause accidents. According to traffic reports, over 71 crashes have happened at or near the interchange since it opened in October 2013.

Dangerous Intersections in the Indianapolis Metro Area

Thousands of motorists use the streets, roads and freeways around the Indianapolis metro area for commuting to work or travel. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, 40 percent of all car crashes happen around or in intersections.

The intersections listed below are known for being the most hazardous in the Indianapolis metro area:

• Rockville Road and Girls School Road (Indianapolis)
• Albany Street and Madison Avenue (Indianapolis)
• 38th Street and Lafayette Road (Indianapolis)
• Fall Creek Parkway North Drive and East 38th Street (Indianapolis)
• 82nd Street and Allisonville Road (Indianapolis)
• Raymond Street and Shelby Street (Indianapolis)
• Emerson Avenue and Southport Road (Indianapolis)
• 86th Street and Ditch Road (Indianapolis)
• 86th Street and Michigan Road (Indianapolis)
• Stop 11 Road and Madison Avenue (Indianapolis)
• 16th Street and Georgetown Road (Speedway)
• 16th Street and Crawfordsville Road (Speedway)
• Cunningham Road and Crawfordsville Road (Speedway)
• 38th Street and Post Road (Lawrence)
• Shadeland Avenue and Pendleton Pike (Lawrence)
• Pendleton Pike and Post Road (Lawrence)
• I-465 and Pendleton Pike to 71st Street (Lawrence)
• Emerson Avenue and Thompson Road (Beech Grove)
• Emerson Avenue and I-465 (Beech Grove)
• Emerson Avenue and Main Street (Beech Grove)
• Post Road and Washington Street (Cumberland)
• Washington Street and Mitthoefer Road (Cumberland)

Indiana Highway Truck Accident Injuries

Truck accident injuries can be catastrophic and debilitating. If you are seriously injured in accident caused by a commercial truck accident, you may spend months in the hospital or a rehabilitation facility recuperating.

The most common types of injuries include broken bones, fractures, head/neck/back injuries, lacerations and cuts, burns, or internal injuries.

Contact an Indiana Personal Injury Attorney Today

The Indiana personal injury lawyers at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC represent accident victims who have been injured in crashes caused by commercial trucks. Our truck crash attorneys have successfully helped clients who were seriously injured in trucking accidents obtain compensation to rebuild their lives and move forward. For more than 20 years, we have worked to protect our clients and make our community. If you have a tractor trailer accident lawsuit, we are ready to put our skill and experience to work for you.

If you have been severely injured in a trucking accident in Indiana, please contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for free consultation to discuss your legal options.