A Review of Indiana Semi and Other Commercial Motor Vehicle Accidents in 2025

This is a summary of semi tractor-trailer, bus, flatbed truck, tanker and other commercial motor vehicle accidents in 2025. The data from this report comes from data compiled by and visible on semicrashmap.com.

Across the state of Indiana in 2025, preliminary data from the Semi Crash Map, which pulls from a variety of sources including police reports, shows that there were more than 1,600 accidents involving semi tractor-trailers and other heavy trucks. Of those accidents, the semi driver was found to be at fault for just over 800 of them. This is higher than the national average. Semi-truck accidents often result in severe injuries or even death. Out of all the accidents in 2025, over 70 fatalities were reported and over 2,100 injuries.

When it becomes apparent that truck wrecks are happening at a high volume, it is important to understand current dangerous trucking trends, as well as learning best practices when driving around semis to help prevent these accidents. Let’s take a look at some of the crash statistics from 2025.

Unsafe Driving Practices and Following Distance

The most common primary factor for truck accidents in 2025 was “unsafe lane movement”, with a summation of close to 290 crashes, and the runner-up was “failure to yield right-of-way”, totaling around 280 accidents. Any lane movement that does not meet the conditions of Indiana Code § 9-21-8-24 is considered unsafe. The code explains that drivers may not slow down or stop their vehicle, turn from a direct course upon a highway, or change from one lane to another unless the movement can be made with reasonable safety. Before making any of the previously described movements, the driver must either use an appropriate stop or turn signal or use a clearly audible horn if a pedestrian may be affected.

When looking at yielding right-of-way, it is crucial for truck drivers to be aware of their vehicle’s surroundings to prevent these types of accidents. Indiana Code § 9-21-8-29 through § 9-21-8-36 describes the instances in which all motorists, not just professional drivers, should yield the right-of-way to others. Semi-trucks and other large trucks may be involved in these types of accidents during a turn, lane change, while backing, entering or leaving an intersection, and more because drivers are not checking all potential blind spots.

The third most common primary factor was “following too closely”, which accounted for about 270 accidents. This particular commonality displays the importance of not only maintaining sufficient following distance but also paying attention to the road and your surroundings, regardless of whether you are in a passenger vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle. “Following too closely” is a cause of wreck that is typically used by police in rear-end collisions, but oftentimes the cause is actually a distracted or fatigued driver that was not able to brake in time.

When semi-trucks and passenger vehicles are both traveling at 65 mph, it takes the semi-truck 525 feet to come to a complete stop and 316 feet for the average passenger vehicle. That is 40% more time required for the semi to safely stop, and the amount of time needed can be impacted by load weight, road and weather conditions, equipment conditions, and more. If the truck driver is fatigued or distracted, they may not have enough room to stop before it is too late.

Construction Zones

August was the worst month for wrecks, with a total of over 160 accidents in that period, and June and July were close behind, with around 150 crashes reported each month. Furthermore, almost 140 of the year’s accidents happened in areas with construction, and a majority of construction related accidents occurred from June to August, ultimately contributing to 48% of those wrecks.

Summer brings more construction zones because of the ideal weather and road conditions, which also means there is a higher risk of construction zone crashes. Many characteristics of work zones make collisions more likely, such as lane closures, traffic pattern shifts and reduced speeds. These wrecks happen most often in spots where traffic is entering or exiting work zones due to drivers changing lanes or merging as the speed limit changes. Drivers must pay close attention to these changes and the signage that indicates them, as well as watching out for construction workers or their vehicles that may be along the road.

Rear-end collisions are also the most common type of construction zone accident. Work zones have many roadway and speed changes, which cause traffic to brake, slow or stop. This leads to accidents when the truck driver is distracted or fatigued, resulting in a rear-end collision. The most fatal construction zone crashes occur on roads with speed limits that are normally more than 50 mph, like interstates and highways, which makes it more difficult for drivers to slow down to the posted construction zone speed if they are not paying attention.

Common Days and Times for Accidents

The two most dangerous days of the week for semi wrecks in 2025 were Tuesday and Thursday, which both reported around 290 wrecks each throughout the year. A greater number of trucks are moving freight on weekdays, which creates more opportunities for accidents. Both days are at points in the week where drivers may have already logged many hours behind the wheel, either from working weekend or weekday shifts. By that point, drivers may be fatigued and less alert to changes in surrounding traffic conditions. Friday is the deadliest, going into the weekend, with a total of about 20 fatalities.

The time of day that had the most crashes across the state was between the hours of 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. EST, totaling around 120 accidents. This is consistent with some of the most recent national data about fatal truck and passenger vehicle crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the times of 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. had the second most large truck crash fatalities in 2023, reporting 706 deaths.

Most Dangerous Counties and Roadways

The counties that had the most truck accidents were mostly in and around large metropolitan areas in Indiana. The most dangerous county was Marion with around 310 reported accidents. This can mostly be attributed to the high amounts of truck traffic in Indianapolis and its surrounding communities, as well as the location of I-465 in the county. I-65 goes north and south through Indianapolis, I-70 and US 40 travel east and west through Indianapolis and I-465 wraps around the city, creating a funnel of freight traffic into the city. The second most dangerous was Lake County, totaling almost 200 wrecks. A large amount of semi traffic goes through Lake County on the way to Chicago, creating higher chances of truck wrecks.

The roadway with the most crashes was I-65, which accounted for about 190 accidents. This interstate runs from Gary, IN in Lake County, down the length of the state through Marion County all the way south to Lexington, KY. Many semi-trucks carry freight through this stretch of interstate due to how it connects three major metropolitan areas across Indiana.

The roadway with the second highest volume of crashes was I-70, totaling close to 110 accidents, which connects Marion County to the Ohio state border. The third worst roadway was I-465 with just under 100 accidents. This interstate surrounds Marion Country and connects to most of the state’s other interstates and highways. Coming in fourth place was I-80, which had a count of about 95 accidents. I-80 runs east to west across the northern part of the state and travels concurrently with other interstates.

Semi Crash Map: A Tool for Identifying Dangerous Trucking Trends

The Semi Crash Map was developed in 2025 by Nationally Recognized Truck Accident Attorney David W. Craig with the help of employees at Craig, Kelley & Faultless. This educational and informative tool provides the public with information about dangerous trucking trends as they happen. It is aimed at those who wish to use the map’s data to educate themselves about local semi-truck wrecks.

David’s goal is to create public access to truck accident data and trends, which equips users with knowledge and information that can make everyone more aware of the potential dangers that come with sharing the road with semi-trucks. Anyone can access and navigate the map for free.

Map markers are updated daily, utilizing a patent pending process that pulls from news sources, police reports and other available data to track truck wrecks when they occur. Users can click on any map marker to read more about a specific wreck or use the entire map to look at broader trends.

Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help

Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. As David has said, “We don’t just handle truck accident cases. We specialize in these cases.”

Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.

Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.

David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.