Crystal Mountain, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Crystal Mountain: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Crystal Mountain 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 for every 100 truck crashes, against 2.1 across Michigan.
Overview
Since 2015, 65 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Benzie County. They injured 15 people and killed 4.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 68 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Crystal Mountain since 2015, this page uses Benzie County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (18.5% of the year) and are lowest in March (1.5%).
November through March accounts for 50.8% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 11 am–12 pm than at any other hour (21.5%).
Road surface: 37.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Crystal Mountain since 2015: CR-HOMESTEAD Rd (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 1 crash, 1.5% of the total, against 3.2% across Michigan.
Route planning tips for Crystal Mountain fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 30.5% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; adjust start times where you can.
- 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 |
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 |
Crystal Mountain at a glance
| Land area | 1.8 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49683) | $61,250 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49683) | $204,228 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 3 to 6. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.2 a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Crystal Mountain
How common are truck crashes in Crystal Mountain?
Since 2015, 65 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Benzie County (15 injured, 4 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Crystal Mountain?
Truck crashes in Benzie County peak in January, with 18.5% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Crystal Mountain?
Since 2015, Benzie County has reported 1 garbage-truck crash, or 1.5% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Crystal Mountain compare with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 29.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Benzie County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Crystal Mountain?
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.