Indiana Car Insurance 101 (Compare Costs & Companies)

If you are looking for the best car insurance in Indiana, you should start by considering what coverages you need. Our Indiana car insurance 101 guide will help you decide what coverages you should carry in Indiana, as well as go over rates and companies to help you find affordable car insurance in Indiana.

At any point in our guide on Indiana auto insurance, you can enter your ZIP code into our free quote box. It will compare Indiana car insurance rates to help you find the best deal.

Indiana Car Insurance Coverage and Rates

Are you here because you’re wondering where to start when it comes to finding the right insurance policy? You may be wondering how much insurance you actually need or who the cheapest provider is in Indiana.

We’re going to be going over all that and more. Let’s start by talking about Indiana’s car culture and then get into coverage requirements.

What is Indiana’s car culture?

Auto racing is an industry in the state all on its own. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has become the highest-capacity sports venue in the entire world, with enough seats to hold 250,000 people. It’s home to the famous Indianapolis 500, which it has been hosting since 1911.

Not only that — drivers can go there themselves and have a safe and legal racing experience with memories to last a lifetime.

The auto industry is huge in Indiana, with nearly 100,000 jobs in automobile manufacturing alone.

Even without auto racing, cars are a big deal to the Hoosier State. There are 96,571 miles of roadway, and much of this is rural. Ask most Hoosiers and they’ll say there’s not much worse than getting stuck behind a tractor going slow for miles. It can certainly be frustrating, but they can legally drive on the roadway at 10mph.

So, grab your Ski or a beer from one of Indiana’s best craft breweries, and let’s learn more about car insurance!

How much coverage is required for Indiana minimum coverage?

Okay, let’s get into the nuts and bolts of car insurance.

Indiana follows a traditional fault-based system for determining financial responsibility for a car accident.

This means that the person who is at fault for causing the car accident is legally responsible for all damages resulting from it. That’s essentially the point of liability insurance. It helps cover the cost to the other driver and vehicle if you are found at fault.

Here are Indiana’s minimum liability insurance requirements:

• $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one individual
• $50,000 for total bodily injury or death
• $25,000 for property damage per accident

This is sometimes referred to as the 25/50/25 rule.

If you don’t have at least the minimum required insurance, you can face penalties. If you can’t prove that you have this, your driver’s license and vehicle registration can be suspended.

A staggering 16.7 percent of Hoosier drivers are driving around without insurance, and that’s a lot.

The state ranks eighth in the United States for uninsured drivers, so it’s a good idea to cover more than just liability. If you’re in an accident with an uninsured driver, you may have to wait weeks or months to see your money — if you ever see it at all.

What are forms of financial responsibility in Indiana?

What is a form of financial responsibility?

This is just another term for proof of insurance.

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is required to verify that all motorists have the minimum liability insurance coverage if the driver is involved in one of the following:

• An accident for which the BMV receives an accident report
• If you receive another moving violation within one year of receiving two other moving violations
• A serious traffic violation, including a felony or misdemeanor
• Violation by a driver who was previously suspended for failing to provide proof of a form of financial responsibility

According to Indiana code IC 9-25-5:

If a person fails to provide proof of financial responsibility, the court shall suspend the person’s current driving privileges or motor vehicle registration, or both. It’s best to stay in the habit of knowing where your proof of insurance is when you’re driving.

Indiana allows you to show electronic proof of insurance.

If you aren’t the type to remember to print out your insurance card every time you get an updated copy, no worries. You can just save it to your documents on your phone or take a screenshot of it. Then you’ll have it with you at all times.

How much percentage of income are premiums in Indiana?

Your premiums are determined by the actions of you and your fellow drivers.

The average Hoosier’s disposable income for 2014 was $36,364. That’s a bit lower than the national average of $40,726.23, but their percentage spent on insurance is lower. The country spent an average of 2.29 percent of its take-home income on car insurance in 2014, but drivers in Indiana only spent 2 percent of theirs.

Indiana’s rates are lower than all its neighboring states. Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky all have higher rates, and Michigan’s rates are the highest in the nation.

Use the calculator below to check how much of your disposable income goes toward car insurance.

CalculatorPro

What are the core coverages in Indiana?

Use the next three minutes to watch the below video, which will give you a brief overview of the types of insurance coverage and what they mean.

The following information is pulled directly from the 2016 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

The most expensive single type of coverage is liability, which will be about 50 percent of your bill if you decide to get combined coverage. Since the last available set of data is from 2016, expect the rates to be a little higher today.

What additional liability is available in Indiana?

Why settle for basic liability insurance? You can add on more, which gives you excellent coverage.

But first, what is a loss ratio?

A loss ratio shows how much a company paid out in claims in relation to how much it collected in premiums. For example, if a company’s loss ratio is 65 percent, that means they spent $65 for every $100 it earned in premiums.

• A loss ratio under 40 percent is probably too low, which means the company is collecting more premiums than it needs for the claims it is getting.

• On the other hand, if a loss ratio is over 75 percent, that’s probably too high. In this case, the company is not collecting enough premiums for the claims it’s receiving. That’s a sign that a rate increase may be coming.

Why would you want to pay for more insurance though? It’s already a big expense. Well, not every driver obeys the law, and you never know if it’s the driver behind you or the one to your left.

If you find yourself in an accident with a driver who has little to no insurance, you may find yourself waiting a long time to get your money — if you ever see it at all. It’s best to keep yourself sufficiently insured to prevent this from happening.

What add-ons, endorsements, and riders are available in Indiana?

Is this not enough insurance for you? Don’t worry. There are more options out there, in case you have a hot rod or want to know about GAP coverage or emergency roadside assistance:

• Guaranteed auto protection (GAP)
• Personal umbrella policy (PUP)
• Rental reimbursement insurance
• Emergency roadside assistance
• Mechanical breakdown insurance
• Non-owner car insurance
• Modified car insurance coverage
• Classic car insurance
• Pay-as-you-drive or usage-based insurance

Let’s get into some of the demographics that influence your car insurance rates.

Do gender and age affect my car insurance in Indiana?

Did you know that factors such as your age, gender, and marital status affect your car insurance rates? It may not seem fair, but it’s true for a lot of companies.

If you’re a 17-year-old male, expect to pay quite a bit for your car insurance. Travco and First Liberty are the most expensive companies for that demographic.

Geico and State Farm are the most affordable for young male drivers, whose premiums are about 30 percent higher than females of the same age group. As you age, your rates will get lower as long as you keep a good driving record.

Once you reach 35 and if you get married, rates even out and are similar for both genders. If you’re older and married, Travco seems to be the cheapest option out there.

Please note that Quadrant data is based upon actual purchased coverage by the state population of Indiana. This includes rates for high-risk drivers as well as those who choose to purchase more than the state minimum and other types of coverage such as uninsured/underinsured motorist and MedPay.

What are the cheapest rates by ZIP code in Indiana?

Did you know that where you live affects how much you’ll pay for car insurance? The top 25 most expensive and top 25 least expensive ZIP codes are in the tables below.

It looks like 46402 in Gary has the most expensive premiums at $4,747.17 a year.

Meanwhile, 47909 in Lafayette has the least expensive premiums in Indiana. The average there is $2,931.85. That’s an increase of about 62 percent from this to 46402’s average.

What are the cheapest rates by city in Indiana?

Check out the table below to see if your city is in the top 25 most expensive cities for car insurance in Indiana.

Gary and East Chicago have the highest rates. Below are the least expensive cities for insurance premiums.

Good news if you’re in Lafayette, as that’s the cheapest city for average car insurance rates. Average premium prices range from $2,946.28 to $4,653.64 in Indiana. Gary is about 58 percent more expensive than Lafayette.

Where you live is going to have an impact on your premiums.

Best Indiana Car Insurance Companies

With so many options out there, it can be difficult to decide which company to choose for your car insurance. Let’s see if we can make it a little easier for you.

Let’s go over some of the best (and worst) options in Indiana for customer service, financial strength, and more.

What are the financial ratings of the largest car insurance companies in Indiana?

Remember when we mentioned loss ratios? A.M. Best Ratings track a company’s financial strength, and one way they do this is through their loss ratios.

State Farm, Geico, Auto-Owners Group, and USAA all have high A.M. Best ratings at A++. State Farm has the largest market share at 24.05 percent and $907,710 in written premiums.

All these companies have loss ratios between 40 percent and 75 percent, and that’s a good sign.

Which car insurance companies have the best ratings in Indiana?

How important is customer service to you? Would you like to wait in a long queue for a representative who isn’t very helpful, or would you rather have a company that delivers a more personal touch and can really help you when you need it?

That’s a no-brainer.

J.D. Power ranks companies based on customer service satisfaction. The Power Circle Ratings are on a scale of one to five, with five being best and one being worst.

With the exception of USAA — which is only available to military personnel and their families — the highest-ranked company in the region is Westfield, followed by Indiana Farm Bureau and Erie Insurance.

This data encompasses the 2019 North Central region, which includes Indiana — but also Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Which car insurance companies have the most complaints in Indiana?

But what would be the reason to rank the best customer service if there was not also bad customer service?

Let’s look at the companies with most complaints in 2018.

Geico had the most complaints in 2018, while State Farm had the fewest.

What are the cheapest car insurance companies in Indiana?

Check out the 10 leading insurance companies in Indiana and how they compare to the state average.

Geico and State Farm appear to have the cheapest rates overall, while First Liberty seems a tad high. Remember that USAA only serves military personnel and their families.

Does my commute affect my car insurance rate in Indiana?

Believe it or not, your rates are influenced by how far you’re driving to work every day.

Some companies charge more for longer commutes. So, if you have the kind of lifestyle where you’re on the road all the time, keep that in mind when shopping for insurance.

Then you’ll only need to worry about which podcast to pick out today — before you start driving, of course.

State Farm and Liberty Mutual increase their rates by around 5 percent with a longer commute.

Nationwide, Progressive, Allstate, Farmers, and Travelers show no difference at all if you drive 10 or 25 miles into work each morning.

Can coverage level change my car insurance rate with companies in Indiana?

Some companies will give you a break if you get more coverage than is required. Look at Nationwide and American Family in the table below. They actually charge less for high-level coverage than for low-level coverage.

Even if it’s more expensive, paying a few hundred dollars now can save you thousands later.

How does my credit history affect my car insurance rate with companies in Indiana?

Credit’s a big deal. I think we all know that, right?

It’s no surprise that your credit history can affect your insurance rates. Check out the price difference for different credit levels below.

Most companies are pretty harsh on drivers with poor credit. A company wants to make sure it’s investing in someone who will pay their bills.

According to Experian, the average credit score for the United States in 2019 was 703.

Indiana’s average credit score was 699.

Here are the average annual rates and percent increase you should expect:

• Good credit (670+) – $2,763.20
• Fair credit (580–669) – <1 to 29 percent increase: $3,064.30
• Poor credit (300–579) – 18 to 116 percent increase: $4,126.86

State Farm’s rates go up 116 percent if you have poor credit, compared to a driver with good credit. If you have bad credit, but you’re trying to improve it, you may want to look into Progressive and Travelers. They both increase their rates by less than 20 percent for a driver with poor credit.

While it will affect how much you pay, a company can’t deny you insurance based solely upon your credit score.

How does my driving record affect my rates with car insurance companies in Indiana?

Credit is a big deal, but it’s not the biggest thing that can affect your rates.

The biggest factor in determining your car insurance rate is your driving record.

Let’s look at how much it determines how much you’ll pay.

Car Insurance Rates by Driving Record in Indiana

Your rates will go up:

• 10 to 75 percent for one accident
• 0 to 40 percent for one speeding violation – State Farm does not show an increase
• 0 to 113 percent for one DUI – Again, State Farm does not show an increase

Be careful, don’t drink and drive, and don’t speed.

Which car insurance companies are the largest in Indiana?

Check out the market shares, loss ratios, and direct written premiums for the top 10 car insurance companies in Indiana.

Remember what we said about loss ratios? If it’s between 40 percent and 75 percent, a company is balancing its premiums to claims paid pretty well. These companies all seem to be doing pretty well.

How many car insurance companies are available in Indiana?

How many options do Hoosiers have to choose from?

There are 1,022 licensed insurers who serve the state.

Domestic insurers started within Indiana, and foreign here just means it was formed elsewhere in the U.S.

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

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Indiana Laws

We know it can get confusing when you start to research state laws. There’s just so much information out there.

We’re going to go over some of the basics you need to know in this next section. Let’s talk about how laws are determined, fraud, SR-22s, and more.

What are the car insurance laws in Indiana?

Are you new to driving, or do you just need a brush-up? This section is for you.

How Indiana Laws for Insurance Are Determined

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Indiana uses a system called file and use for how state laws for insurance are determined.

Essentially, this means that rates and forms must be filed with the state insurance department before use. Specific approval is not required.

The state determines the type of tort law that will apply in the state and what the minimum liability requirements will be required. The state also enacts seat belt laws, drunk driving laws, and speed limits.

Windshield Coverage

If you’ve ever had a rock fly toward your windshield and crack it, you’ll know this is important coverage to have.

There is no specific law for windshield coverage in Indiana. You can choose to replace yours with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), aftermarket, or used parts if your vehicle is over five years old.

Check out the video below to learn a little bit about making a claim for windshield coverage.

https://youtu.be/izX09dWk1eQ

While it may not be a law, many insurers will offer windshield replacement coverage with comprehensive insurance.

High-Risk Insurance

Remember when we said that keeping a clean driving record is the most important factor that determines your car insurance premiums? If you don’t keep a clean record, you may be required to get SR-22 insurance.

Check out the short video below for a quick overview.

Sometimes, drivers are required to carry SR-22 insurance. This is generally because the driver had their driving privileges suspended upon conviction of certain court-related offenses or for insurance violations.

Remember that insurers have the right to refuse you insurance at any time.

If you can’t get insurance through normal means, you may be eligible for the Indiana Automobile Insurance Plan (AIP). This is insurance that’s specifically for high-risk drivers.

Low-Cost Insurance

Indiana has no programs that offer low-cost insurance. However, if you’re looking for a discount, check with your provider. They may offer some additional discounts.

Talk to your agent or provider. Also, it never hurts to shop around.

Automobile Insurance Fraud in Indiana

Insurance fraud is one of those things that affect your insurance but has nothing to do with you.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that the total cost of insurance fraud is more than $40 billion a year. Fraud costs the average household about $400 to $700 every year in increased premiums.

Auto insurance fraud can be anything from misrepresenting the facts on insurance applications to inflating claims. It can be staging accidents to submit claims for damages that never occurred or falsely reporting vehicles stolen.

According to a study by The Insurance Research Council, between 15 percent and 17 percent of total bodily injury claims payments were fraudulent in 2012.

If you’ve witnessed fraud, you can report it by:

• Calling National Fraud Information at (800) 835-6422
• Using the online fraud reporting system
• Contacting the Indiana Department of Insurance

The mailing address for the Indiana Department of Insurance is:

Indiana Department of Insurance
311 W. Washington St., Suite 103
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2787
Phone: (317) 232-2385
Fax: (317) 232-5251

These false claims trickle down to you. Consumers are affected in the form of increased premiums because of fraud.

Statute of Limitations

What is a statute of limitations? This just refers to the amount of time you have — from the date of the accident — to submit a claim with your insurance company.

In Indiana, you have exactly two years from the date of the qualifying accident to submit your claim. This is for both personal injury and property damage claims.

So make sure you submit your claim in a timely manner.

Indiana-Specific Laws

Indiana experienced a sharp 17 percent increase in the number of motorcycle-related fatalities from 2016 to 2017. In response to this, the state launched the Ride Safe Indiana Program.

Watch the video below to learn more about the dangers of riding motorcycles.

The Hoosier State repealed the universal helmet law in 1977. Though there have been attempts to get it reinstated, you’re currently not required to wear a helmet if you’re over the age of 18 in Indiana.

That being said, it’s safer and smarter to wear a helmet while on a motorcycle. They save lives. Make sure to be careful on a motorcycle. We know it can be tempting to crank the throttle, but be responsible.

What are the vehicle licensing laws in Indiana?

Car insurance is a necessity to protect drivers against surprise out-of-pocket costs.

Let’s discuss what you need to know about REAL ID, penalties for driving without insurance, teen driving laws, license renewal procedures and more.

REAL ID

Check out this video from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to learn more about REAL ID.

Indiana is compliant with the REAL ID Act. Federal agencies can accept REAL IDs at federal facilities and nuclear power plants.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

As you probably know by now, all drivers in Indiana are required to have insurance. You’ll face some strong penalties if you don’t have it:

• First offense – license and/or registration suspension for 90 days to one year
• Second offense – within three years: license and/or registration suspension for one year

If you get pulled over and you don’t have car insurance, you’ll probably get cited and face these consequences.

Teen Driver Laws

Teens can get their learner’s permit at 15 years old.

Driver’s education is not required for teen Hoosiers, but there are options out there to be better prepared before getting your driver’s license. Teens with a restricted driver’s license can’t have any passengers except family members.

Older Driver License Renewal Procedures

How often you have to renew your license in Indiana really depends on your age.

• Ages 75 to 84 – renew every three years
• Ages 85 and older – renew every two years

People over the age of 75 must provide proof of adequate vision every time they renew their license.

New Residents

Have you recently moved to Indiana, or are you planning to soon? You’ll need to know what the requirements are for new residents. While you can renew your license online or by mail every other time, new residents have to go to the BMV. Sorry.

When you become a new resident, you have 60 days to visit the BMV and change your information over to your new address.

Make sure to take your old license, your birth certificate or passport, Social Security card, and a pay stub or bill to prove you have established residency.

These are Indiana’s minimum liability insurance requirements.

• $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one individual
• $50,000 for total bodily injury or death
• $25,000 for property damage per accident

Make sure you acquire at least this level of coverage when you move.

License Renewal Procedures

According to AAA, you can apply to renew your license anytime in the year before it expires.

If you’re under 75, you’ll need to renew your license every six years.

The general population will need proof of adequate vision when renewing in person. The good news is that you can renew online or by mail every other time. If you have six points on your license, you must also pass a written examination.

Indiana doesn’t have a non-binary gender option on its driver’s licenses.

Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS)

Indiana defines reckless driving as an act done when a driver knows or should know the conduct is risky but does it anyway.

If you are going unreasonably fast or slow — to the point where it endangers the safety of others or blocks the flow of traffic — that’s considered reckless driving.

It’s illegal to pass a stopped school bus that has its stop arm-signal device deployed. if you pass another vehicle on a slope or curve with less than 500 feet of visibility, you’re driving recklessly.

Negligent driving is a lesser offense of reckless driving, where the driver is careless in a way that endangers property or the life of another.

Essentially, the difference between reckless and negligent driving is severity.

Check out the penalties for reckless driving below.

Let’s go over some rules of the road.

What are the rules of the road in Indiana?

If you’re going to be driving, you need to know the rules of the road. We’re going to be going over seat belt and car seat laws, speed limits, ridesharing, and more.

First, let’s get into fault versus no-fault.

Fault Versus No-Fault

What kind of state is Indiana when determining fault in a car accident?

As mentioned earlier, Indiana follows an at-fault system for car accidents.

Essentially, this means that if you’re found at fault for an accident, you’re then responsible for all medical bills and property damage for all vehicles involved in the accident.

With Indiana’s uninsured driver rates at 16.7 percent, it’s highly likely you could get into an accident with somebody who is uninsured. Then what?

You may have to wait for them to pay, or you may be paying out-of-pocket. That’s why it’s important to have more than just liability insurance. Keep yourself covered just in case.

Seat Belt and Car Seat Laws

Are you familiar with Indiana’s car seat and seat belt laws? Let’s talk about them.

If you’re 16 and over, you’re required by law to use a seat belt. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to use a seat belt if you’re under 16 years old.

Any child 7 years old and younger needs to be in a car seat.

According to AAA, riding in the cargo area of a pickup truck is not usually permitted.

Keep Right and Move Over Laws

Indiana state law requires drivers to keep right unless passing or turning left.

You’re also required to move over if approaching an emergency vehicle that’s stopped on the side of the road flashing its lights. This includes tow trucks, utility vehicles, and road maintenance vehicles.

If you can’t move over, you must reduce speed to at least 10 mph under the speed limits.

Speed Limits

Between 2009 and 2018, there were 1,968 speeding-related fatalities.

Speeding is a big problem. Check out the typical speed limits by road type in Indiana.

The only time you should be going over 60 mph is if you are on a rural interstate. With so many fatalities due to speeding, that’s a good reason to observe posted speed limits.

Ridesharing

What is ridesharing?

Uber and Lyft are considered to be taxi ridesharing services. If you’re an employee or a driver for companies like these, you’ll need to apply for ridesharing insurance.

If you need ridesharing insurance, try calling any of these providers listed below.

• Allstate
• Erie
• Farmers
• Geico
• Safeco
• State Farm
• USAA

Now let’s discuss automation on the road.

Automation on the Road

Indiana doesn’t have any laws regarding vehicle animation on its roads. Watch the video below to learn about the difficulty with getting automated cars on the road.

However, the technology is coming to the state, and legislation won’t be far behind if it does.

What are the safety laws in Indiana?

Getting into an accident because of an error in judgment is one thing.

Anyone can make a mistake, but causing an accident because you’re under the influence or checking a text is not okay.

Next, we’re going to get into those laws that are designed to keep you safe. Let’s talk about DUIs, marijuana-impaired driving laws, and distracted driving laws.

DUI Laws

In the 10 years between 2009 and 2018, there were 2,068 alcohol-related fatalities in Indiana. Alcohol causes impaired judgment and abilities, and you should always have a designated driver if you’re going to be drinking away from home.

According to Responsibility.org, 13,263 people were arrested in 2017 for driving under the influence.

What is a look-back period? A look-back period is the length of time that an operating while intoxicated (OWI) offense will stay on your driving record. Indiana’s is five years.

A blood alcohol concentration of just 0.08 is enough to get you a misdemeanor.

Take a look at the video below to see an example of how the same amount of alcohol affects people differently.

There are some harsh consequences for drinking and driving. We have compiled some of this information so that it will hopefully deter drunk driving.

If you drive under the influence, you may find yourself with a large fine to pay and jail time. Habitual offenders can spend up to three years in jail for each offense.

Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws

Driving under the influence doesn’t just mean the influence of alcohol. Marijuana use can get you a misdemeanor as well.

Indiana has a zero-tolerance law for THC and metabolites.

If you don’t already know, be aware that marijuana can stay in your system long after you’ve used it. If it’s detected, you may be facing some of the same consequences as driving under the influence of alcohol.

Distracted Driving Laws

With cellphones becoming an ever-increasingly important part of our lives, it can be hard to leave them alone.

While there is no handheld ban in the state, texting and driving is illegal for all drivers.

Drivers under the age of 21 are prohibited from using a cellphone for any reason except to make an emergency call.

Driving in Indiana

Insurance rates are determined by more than just an individual’s history and demographics. There are also state-specific factors that go into this. These include vehicle theft, road fatalities, EMS response time, and more.

Let’s talk about that.

How many vehicle thefts occur in Indiana?

This data is from 2015 and shows the state’s most-stolen vehicles. There were 659 Ford pickups (full size) stolen that year.

The year of vehicle here shows the most often stolen model year, but the thefts include all model years. Most stolen vehicles were older models.

How Much Auto Insurance Costs in Indiana

Explore affordable rates in key cities like Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. Uncover the perfect coverage for your budget in Columbus, Hammond, or Seymour. Drive confidently with tailored options in Decatur, Goshen, and beyond!

How many road fatalities occur in Indiana?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regularly publishes data regarding crashes and their causes.

Most Fatal Highway in Indiana

The deadliest highways per state were determined by calculating a fatal crash rate that’s based on the annual number of road fatalities according to the NHTSA. This was adjusted for the average daily traffic counts provided by the Federal Highway Administration.

According to geotab.com, U.S. 41 is the deadliest road in the Hoosier State.

We’re going to be talking about road fatalities in the next few sections and what conditions contributed to them.

Fatal Crashes by Weather Condition and Light Condition

Certain weather and light conditions make driving more treacherous, and that certainly affects the number of fatalities.

Most fatalities occur during daylight hours and in normal weather conditions. That makes sense. That’s when people are driving more.

However, there are a lot of fatalities during dark hours, even though fewer people drive during that time. More occurrences of drunk driving and speeding happen at night.

Fatalities (All Crashes) by County

The table below shows fatal crashes by county in Indiana.

Marion County and Lake County were the top two counties for traffic fatalities every year from 2014 to 2018.

These are the five-year fatality totals for Marion, Lake, and Allen counties.

• Marion County – 495
• Lake County – 259
• Allen County – 173

Allen County rounds out the top three every year except 2015, when Elkhart saw a spike in numbers.

Traffic Fatalities

More fatalities happen in rural areas than in urban spots. Part of this is because of the distance from emergency medical services.

According to the Indiana state government, crashes are more likely to occur at higher speeds in rural areas. There are more fixed objects to crash into, and EMS typically have longer travel times.

Fatalities by Person Type

What about motorcycle or pedestrian fatalities? The list below shows automobile fatalities sorted by vehicle type.

You can see why it’s smart to wear a helmet on a motorcycle, even if it’s not required by law in Indiana.

Fatalities by Crash Type

What type of crashes caused fatalities?

Most were the result of a single-vehicle crash.

Five-Year Trend for the Top 10 Counties

Below is the five-year fatality trend for Indiana’s top 10 counties.

According to this list, Marion County had the most fatalities every year from 2014 to 2018.

Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

There were 1,968 fatalities involving speeding between 2009 and 2018.

Speeding is a leading cause of fatalities.

25 percent of all crash fatalities between 2014 and 2018 were caused by speeding. That’s a quarter of them.

Slow down — It’s not worth your life.

Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver by County

This table shows data about crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

Lake County and Marion County top the list again.

Teen Drinking and Driving

Drunk driving is terrible at any age, but it’s worse when teenagers participate in it.

Indiana ranks 40th in the nation for the number of underage DUI arrests.

The Hoosier State had an underage alcohol-related fatality rate of 1.1 out of every 100,000 of the population. That just barely comes in below the U.S. state average of 1.2.

Indiana still has work to do in combating underage drinking and driving. In 2018, Indiana police officers arrested 71 underage drivers for drinking and driving.

That’s too many teenagers driving under the influence.

EMS Response Time

Sometimes, timing is so critical that minutes can be the difference between life and death.

Who do you call in an emergency like this? That would be emergency medical services (EMS). Sometimes, time is so critical that minutes can be the difference between life and death.

The national average length of time between a call for help and the arrival of EMS is 7.22 minutes in urban areas and 12.84 minutes in rural areas.

Five minutes may not seem like much, but that can be critical in an emergency.

What is transportation like in Indiana?

Insurance companies use national and state averages to base their own rates on. They use information such as car ownership, commute time, and the method in which people travel to work every day.

Insurance companies often base their rates on national and state averages. They use the information for car ownership, commute time, and how people travel to work every day to determine premiums.

Let’s take a closer look.

Car Ownership

According to datausa.io, 41.3 percent of Hoosiers own two cars. That follows the national trend. After that, 22.4 percent own three cars.

Commute Time

How’s your morning commute? Do you have a favorite podcast you save for the drive on Friday?

The average commute time for the state is 23 minutes. That’s actually shorter than a typical U.S. worker’s commute of 25.7 minutes.

About 1.82 percent of the workforce in Indian have super commutes. What’s a super commute? That just means you’ll be driving more than 90 minutes.

Commuter Transportation

According to this data from the Census Bureau, 82.9 percent of commuters in Indiana drove alone to work. After that, the most popular way to make it into work was carpooling at 8.9 percent, and 3.85 percent worked from home.

The least-popular tracked methods were by taxi or motorcycle.

Traffic Congestion

While a lot of drivers live in rural areas and rarely experience backed-up traffic, those in urban areas know the struggle.

Check out the video below to see why traffic is a difficult problem to solve.

But how much congestion does Indiana really have?

Indianapolis is the 177th-most congested city in the world and 38th in the U.S.

The average driver in Indianapolis spent 59 hours in congestion in 2018. This cost the average driver $826.

• At peak traffic time, the average speed in Indianapolis is 29.66 mph.
• In off-peak hours, the average speed in Indianapolis is 36.83 mph.
• In free-flow hours, the average speed in Indianapolis is 42.61 mph.

According to TomTom, the congestion level increased by 1 percent from 2017 to 108 to a total of 13 percent.

The morning congestion is around 22 percent while the evening commute peaks at 35 percent.

Highways have about 7 percent congestion, but non-highways are way worse at 18 percent. You may be avoiding weaving speeders, but you’ll spend some more time in traffic instead.

Drivers who work a normal 9-to-5 job will spend extra time in traffic. Mornings tack on 7 minutes, and plan for an extra 11 minutes in the evening commute.

That time adds up. Over the course of a year working Monday through Friday, that adds an additional 78 hours of sitting in traffic.

Let’s touch on a few terms:

• Traffic index – A mix of the time consumed in traffic during a job commute, dissatisfaction at how long it takes, CO₂ consumption sitting in traffic and overall areas that can be improved in the traffic system
• Time index – The average time needed to go one way, in minutes
• Inefficiency index – How efficient traffic is at getting to its destination, i.e. highly efficient when people drive a car instead of slower public transport

Indianapolis’s traffic index is 141.80. Compare that to the most congested city in America — which is Detroit, Michigan — with a traffic index of 243.45.

The city’s time index is 30.83 minutes, and its inefficiency index is 192.18. Detroit’s’ inefficiency index is 370.69, so you can see the difference.

Did you make it?

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