Otsego, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Otsego: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Otsego and Allegan County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Allegan County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
21 of 1,398 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Allegan County compares with Michigan
Allegan County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Allegan County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Allegan County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 93.9 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.8× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.6 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 24% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.25 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.5% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 53% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 32.6% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.8× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.6% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 11% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 31.3% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 54.0% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 23.2% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.1× the state |
Compared with Michigan, Allegan County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Allegan County: January 20.3% of truck crashes happen in January, more than any other month.
Overview
Police reported 1,398 crashes involving commercial trucks in Allegan County since 2015: 344 people were injured and 24 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 3 days in fully reported years.
With 50 truck crashes reported in Otsego since 2015, this page uses Allegan County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 20.3% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (4.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 54.0% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (8.7%).
32.6% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, SR-40 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). It is followed by CR-10TH St (1), E B Ave (1) and SR-89 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 21 of the truck crashes here, or 1.5%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Their busiest month is March, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Otsego fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Allegan County.
- Look at alternatives to SR-40 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- For residential and commercial waste routes, look again at March schedules: garbage-truck crashes peak then.
- 32.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Michigan; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- 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 Allegan County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-40 | 2 |
| CR-10TH St | 1 |
| E B Ave | 1 |
| SR-89 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Allegan County) |
|---|---|
| I-196 | 174 |
| US-131 | 120 |
| N Us 131 | 84 |
| S Us 131 | 71 |
| 142Nd | 38 |
| Lincoln | 26 |
| Allegan | 22 |
| 48Th | 21 |
Otsego at a glance
| Population | 4,036 |
| Land area | 2.0 sq mi |
| Density | 1,985 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49078) | $77,778 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49078) | $198,826 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Allegan 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 | 56 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 59 | +6% | 2.7 |
| 2010s | 80 | +35% | 1.3 |
| 2020s | 122 | +52% | 2.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 56 a year in the 1990s and 122 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.8 a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Otsego
How common are truck crashes in Otsego?
Allegan County has had 1,398 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 344 people and killing 24.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Otsego?
SR-40 had 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Otsego since 2015, more than any other road.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Otsego?
January has the most truck crashes in Allegan County, 20.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Otsego?
21 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Allegan County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Otsego compared with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Allegan County has 93.9 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Otsego?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.