Merritt, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Merritt: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Merritt and Bay County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Bay County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 446 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Bay County compares with Michigan
Bay County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Bay County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Bay County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.5 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 30% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.9 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.4× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.23 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 23% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.2% | 3.2% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.7% | 17.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 26.2% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 18.9% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 14% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 43.0% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.2% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 12% below the state |
Bay County has lower values than Michigan for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and in rain, sleet or snow. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes.
Bay County at a glance: 2.9 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.1 in Michigan.
Overview
Bay County has recorded 446 truck crashes since 2015, with 107 people injured and 14 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 10 days.
Merritt had 7 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Bay County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (11.0% of the year) and are lowest in April (6.3%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 43.0% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
The busiest hour is 2–3 pm, with 10.8% of truck crashes.
17.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Merritt happened on I-75 (2), SR-13 (2), SR-25 (2), SR-15 (1) and SR-83 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.9% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Merritt fleets
- Review driver schedules for October, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Bay County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 2 |
| SR-13 | 2 |
| SR-25 | 2 |
| SR-15 | 1 |
| SR-83 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Bay County) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 49 |
| Wilder | 26 |
| Euclid | 22 |
| Huron | 18 |
| Mile | 17 |
| Center | 16 |
| W Us 10 | 13 |
| US-10 | 11 |
Merritt at a glance
| Population | 1,330 |
| Land area | 31.6 sq mi |
| Density | 42 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48747) | $81,458 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48747) | $142,526 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Bay 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 | 35 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 33 | -7% | 0.6 |
| 2010s | 26 | -20% | 0.8 |
| 2020s | 43 | +62% | 2.0 |
In the 1990s about 35 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 43. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Merritt
How many truck crashes happen in Merritt?
Since 2015, 446 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Bay County (107 injured, 14 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Merritt?
Truck crashes in Bay County peak in October, with 11.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Merritt?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Bay County since 2015, 2.9% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Merritt compare with Michigan?
Bay County records 36.5 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Merritt?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.