Sterling, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Sterling: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Sterling and Arenac County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Arenac County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
2 of 91 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Arenac County compares with Michigan
Arenac County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Arenac County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Arenac County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.0 | 52.4 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.4 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.25 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 17% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.1% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 65% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.0% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.4× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.4% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.7% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.8% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 10% below the state |
| After dark | 21.6% | 20.7% | 24.8% | same |
Compared with Michigan, Arenac County is lower on injuries per crash, garbage-truck share and winter months (nov–mar). It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
Arenac County at a glance: 1 in 88 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.1%, vs 3.2% in Michigan.
Overview
Arenac County has recorded 91 truck crashes since 2015, with 22 people injured and 3 killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 46 days.
Sterling had 3 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Arenac County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in December (12.1% of the year) and are lowest in January (4.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.8% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 7–8 am than at any other hour (11.0%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 25.0% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Sterling since 2015: SR-13 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
2 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.2% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Sterling fleets
- Review driver schedules for December, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 28.4% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Michigan; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- With 25.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Michigan), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 Arenac County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-13 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Arenac County) |
|---|---|
| Huron | 16 |
| I-75 | 14 |
| Main | 5 |
| US-23 | 4 |
| Sterling | 3 |
| Saginaw | 3 |
| Brock | 2 |
| Arenac State | 1 |
Sterling at a glance
| Population | 459 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 470 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48659) | $58,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48659) | $135,181 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Arenac 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 | — | 0.6 |
| 2000s | 7 | -17% | 0.5 |
| 2010s | 7 | -4% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 8 | +22% | 0.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 8 to 8. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Sterling
How common are truck crashes in Sterling?
Arenac County has had 91 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 22 people and killing 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Sterling?
December has the most truck crashes in Arenac County, 12.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Sterling?
2 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Arenac County since 2015, 2.2% of all truck crashes.
How does Sterling compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Per 100,000 residents, Arenac County has 53.0 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Sterling?
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.