Benzonia, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Benzonia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Benzonia and Benzie County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Benzie County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1 of 65 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Benzie County compares with Michigan
Benzie County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Benzie County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Benzie County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 29.0 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 45% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.8 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 3.2× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.20 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 33% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.7% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 48% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 37.3% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 2.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 30.5% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.2× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 30.5% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 50.8% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 11.9% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 43% below the state |
Compared with Michigan, Benzie County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Benzie County: 6.8 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.1 in Michigan.
Overview
Police reported 65 crashes involving commercial trucks in Benzie County since 2015: 15 people were injured and 4 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 68 days.
Only 9 truck crashes were reported in Benzonia since 2015; patterns below come from Benzie County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 18.5% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 1.5%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 50.8% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 21.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 37.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Benzonia since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-HOMESTEAD Rd (1) and US-31 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.5% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Benzonia fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 30.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Michigan.
- With 37.3% 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 Benzie County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-HOMESTEAD Rd | 1 |
| US-31 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Benzie County) |
|---|---|
| Honor | 15 |
| Reynolds | 6 |
| Lake Ann | 4 |
| US-31 | 3 |
| Pioneer | 3 |
| Cadillac | 2 |
| Cinder | 2 |
| Crystal | 2 |
Benzonia at a glance
| Population | 564 |
| Land area | 1.1 sq mi |
| Density | 499 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49616) | $57,982 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49616) | $210,311 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Benzie 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 | 3 | — | 0.2 |
| 2000s | 4 | +43% | 0.2 |
| 2010s | 4 | -15% | 0.2 |
| 2020s | 6 | +71% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 3 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 6. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Benzonia
How many truck crashes happen in Benzonia?
65 truck crashes have been reported in Benzie County since 2015, with 4 deaths and 15 injuries.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Benzonia?
Truck crashes in Benzie County peak in January, with 18.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Benzonia?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Benzie County since 2015 (1.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Benzonia compare with Michigan?
Benzie County records 29.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Benzonia?
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.