Alpena, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Alpena: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Alpena and Alpena County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Alpena County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
8 of 106 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Alpena County compares with Michigan
Alpena County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Alpena County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Alpena County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 31.5 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 40% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.0 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.28 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 8.0% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 2.5× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 18.0% | 17.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.0% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 21% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.0% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 37.0% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 17% below the state |
| After dark | 19.0% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 8% below the state |
Alpena County sits below Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr, morning rush (6–10 am) and winter months (nov–mar). It runs above Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes and garbage-truck share.
The headline for Alpena County: 1 in 12 crashes involve a garbage truck (8 since 2015), vs 3.2% across Michigan.
Overview
Police reported 106 crashes involving commercial trucks in Alpena County since 2015: 28 people were injured and 4 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 40 days in fully reported years.
Alpena had 57 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Alpena County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is August with 14.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 3.8%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 37.0% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 13.2% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 18.0% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Alpena happened on CR-HAMILTON Rd (1) and SR-32 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 8 of the truck crashes here, or 7.5%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Alpena fleets
- Plan August schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Alpena County.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Alpena County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-HAMILTON Rd | 1 |
| SR-32 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Alpena County) |
|---|---|
| US-23 | 22 |
| Washington | 6 |
| Bagley | 4 |
| Werth | 3 |
| Long Rapids | 3 |
| Chisholm | 2 |
| French | 2 |
| Herron | 2 |
Alpena at a glance
| Population | 10,116 |
| Land area | 8.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,238 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49707) | $51,396 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49707) | $153,795 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Alpena 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 | 8 | — | 0.1 |
| 2000s | 7 | -6% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 5 | -27% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 10 | +102% | 0.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 10 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 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Alpena
How common are truck crashes in Alpena?
Since 2015, 106 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Alpena County (28 injured, 4 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Alpena?
Truck crashes in Alpena County peak in August, with 14.2% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Alpena?
Since 2015, Alpena County has reported 8 garbage-truck crashes, or 7.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Alpena compared with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 31.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Alpena County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Alpena?
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.