Indiana ranks among the top 10 most hazardous states for truck drivers, with a heavy-truck crash rate 31% above the national average, according to a recent study by National Fuel Network. The analysis, which examined federal crash records and trucking employment data, found Indiana to be the ninth most dangerous state for heavy-truck operations nationwide.
The National Fuel Network study reported an average of 76.4 crashes involving heavy trucks annually for every 1,000 heavy-truck drivers employed in Indiana. This figure stands notably higher than the national average of 58.1 crashes per 1,000 drivers.
Neighboring Ohio and Michigan recorded significantly lower crash rates in the same study. Michigan ranked 19th nationally, with 62.2 crashes per 1,000 heavy-truck drivers, which is approximately 7% above the national average. Ohio ranked 29th, reporting 52.8 crashes per 1,000 drivers, approximately 9% below the national average. These findings place Ohio and Michigan closer to or below the national average, in contrast to Indiana's higher ranking.
For drivers passing through West Central Ohio and across the wider region, the study provides a comparative look at reported heavy-truck crash rates. Illinois, another major Midwestern freight state, ranked 23rd with 58.2 crashes per 1,000 drivers, nearly aligning with the national average. Pennsylvania ranked 24th with 58.0 crashes per 1,000 drivers.
National Fuel Network conducted its analysis by reviewing federally recordable crashes involving trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds that occurred between 2023 and 2025. Researchers compared average annual crash totals in each state with the number of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers employed there, utilizing federal employment data to determine the crash rate per 1,000 drivers. The study defined qualifying crashes as those resulting in a death, an injury requiring transportation for medical treatment, or a vehicle being towed away. Buses were not included, and each crash was counted once, regardless of the number of trucks involved.
The data for the study was compiled using the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Management Information System crash file, Bureau of Labor Statistics employment estimates, and Federal Highway Administration truck-mile data. A data snapshot for crash counts was taken on October 4, 2026. Alaska, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C., were excluded from the state rankings due to having fewer than 300 qualifying crashes during the three-year study period.
While the findings place Indiana among states with a high crash rate relative to its heavy-truck driving workforce, the study did not conclude that Indiana’s roads are inherently more dangerous than those in neighboring states. The driver-based ranking also did not directly account for every difference in truck traffic, road conditions, or miles traveled. The figures measure crashes relative to the number of drivers employed in each state, rather than providing an individual risk assessment for every truck driver on a specific roadway.
Looking at the broader national picture, Wyoming was identified as the most dangerous state for truck drivers, with an annual rate of 136.1 crashes per 1,000 drivers. This rate is more than twice the national average. Louisiana ranked second with 98.7 crashes per 1,000 drivers, followed by Georgia at 83.2, Alabama at 80.0, and Montana at 79.6. At the other end of the spectrum, Utah was ranked the safest state, recording 33.8 crashes per 1,000 drivers. Other states with low rates included Massachusetts at 36.2, Wisconsin at 37.2, Nebraska at 37.8, and California at 38.3 crashes per 1,000 drivers.
National Fuel Network also assessed crash patterns using a second metric: crashes relative to truck miles traveled. On this measure, Maryland recorded the highest rate among ranked states, with 66.9 crashes per 100 million truck miles. Utah again had the lowest rate at 11.9, compared to a national rate of 36.8 crashes per 100 million truck miles. Indiana was among the top 10 states using the crash rate per 1,000 drivers but was not identified among the states that consistently ranked high on both the driver-based and mileage-based measures, such as Georgia, Alabama, Maryland, and South Carolina.
The research additionally examined seasonal crash patterns, particularly during winter months, when conditions like snow and ice can complicate commercial trucking. Wyoming exhibited the highest winter crash rate, averaging 44.2 heavy-truck crashes per 1,000 drivers from December through February over the study period. This figure was 3.1 times the national winter rate of 14.4 crashes per 1,000 drivers. Wyoming's daily heavy-truck crash rate increased by 64% during winter compared to the rest of the year, marking the largest seasonal increase found in the study. More than half of Wyoming’s winter truck crashes involved roads covered by snow, slush, or ice, or occurred in snow or sleet. A spokesperson for National Fuel Network stated that Wyoming’s results highlight how roadway conditions and weather can affect commercial truck safety, especially along Interstate 80. The spokesperson advised drivers to check road and weather reports, take highway closures seriously, maintain safe following distances, and schedule regular rest stops, also cautioning about the danger of strong crosswinds for empty or lightly loaded trailers. However, the study did not establish comparable winter increases specifically for Indiana, Ohio, or Michigan in the information released with the rankings.
The findings offer a national comparison of heavy-truck crash rates, placing Indiana among states with higher reported rates relative to its trucking workforce. Ohio and Michigan, by contrast, recorded lower rates, with Ohio's rate falling below the national average.