Plainwell, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Plainwell: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Plainwell 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 |
Allegan County has lower values than Michigan for 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.
The headline for Allegan County: January worst month: 20.3% of truck crashes, vs 8.3% in an average 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 31 truck crashes reported in Plainwell 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%).
November through March accounts for 54.0% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (8.7%).
Road surface: 32.6% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Plainwell since 2015 were spread across roads: SR-89 (2), CR-10TH St (1) and E B Ave (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 Plainwell fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: March is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Allegan County.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 32.6% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
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-89 | 2 |
| CR-10TH St | 1 |
| E B Ave | 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 |
Plainwell at a glance
| Population | 3,736 |
| Land area | 2.1 sq mi |
| Density | 1,800 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49080) | $74,864 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49080) | $259,991 |
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 Plainwell
How common are truck crashes in Plainwell?
1,398 truck crashes have been reported in Allegan County since 2015, with 24 deaths and 344 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Plainwell?
January has the most truck crashes in Allegan County, 20.3% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Plainwell?
Garbage trucks were involved in 21 reported crashes in Allegan County since 2015 (1.5% of truck crashes).
How does Plainwell compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Allegan County has 93.9 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Plainwell?
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.