Hardwood Acres, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Hardwood Acres: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Hardwood Acres 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. It stands out for 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.
That averages about one truck crash every 68 days in fully reported years.
Only 0 truck crashes were reported in Hardwood Acres 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%).
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
Within this area, US-31 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by SR-72 (2), CR-633 Silver Lake Rd (1) and CR-BEITNER Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
1 crash involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.5% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Hardwood Acres fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Where you can, review stops along US-31; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 30.5% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Michigan; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 3 |
| SR-72 | 2 |
| CR-633 Silver Lake Rd | 1 |
| CR-BEITNER Rd | 1 |
| CR-SOUTH Long Lake Rd | 1 |
| CR-ZIMMER Rd | 1 |
| US-41 | 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 |
Hardwood Acres at a glance
| Land area | 0.5 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49650) | $87,500 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49650) | $282,005 |
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 Hardwood Acres
How many truck crashes happen in Hardwood Acres?
Benzie County has had 65 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 15 people and killing 4.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Hardwood Acres?
Since 2015, US-31 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Hardwood Acres: 3.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Hardwood Acres?
January has the most truck crashes in Benzie County, 18.5% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Hardwood Acres?
Garbage trucks were involved in 1 reported crash in Benzie County since 2015 (1.5% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Hardwood Acres compared 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 Hardwood Acres?
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.