Elberta, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Elberta: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Elberta 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 |
Benzie County has lower values than Michigan for crashes per 100k residents / yr, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, on snow, slush or ice and morning rush (6–10 am).
The headline for Benzie County: 6.8 deaths for every 100 truck crashes, against 2.1 across 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 0 truck crashes were reported in Elberta since 2015; patterns below come from Benzie County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (18.5% of the year) and are lowest in March (1.5%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 50.8% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
By time of day, 11 am–12 pm stands out with 21.5% of truck crashes.
37.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Elberta since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-HOMESTEAD Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 1 of the truck crashes here, or 1.5%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Elberta fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Morning starts matter: 30.5% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Michigan.
- 37.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Michigan; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
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 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 |
Elberta at a glance
| Population | 316 |
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Density | 422 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49628) | $114,375 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49628) | $269,317 |
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. NHTSA counts 0.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Elberta
How common are truck crashes in Elberta?
Benzie County has had 65 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 15 people and killing 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Elberta?
The worst month is January: 18.5% of truck crashes in Benzie County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Elberta?
1 crash involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Benzie County since 2015, 1.5% of all truck crashes.
How does Elberta compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Benzie County records 29.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Elberta?
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.