Watervliet, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Watervliet: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Watervliet and Berrien County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Berrien County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.7 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.8 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Berrien County compares with Michigan
Berrien County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Berrien County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Berrien County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 112.9 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 2.2× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.8 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 14% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 27% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.8% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 43% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 38.2% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 2.2× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.7% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 38.4% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.8× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 56.5% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.3× the state |
| After dark | 28.1% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.4× the state |
Compared with Michigan, Berrien County is lower on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr, on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
Berrien County at a glance: 38.2% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 17.7% in Michigan.
Overview
Berrien County has recorded 2,066 truck crashes since 2015, with 460 people injured and 39 killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 2 days.
With 105 truck crashes reported in Watervliet since 2015, this page uses Berrien County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (19.6% of the year) and are lowest in March (5.9%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 56.5% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 7.9% of truck crashes.
38.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Watervliet is I-94, with 4 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come CR-687 64Th St (1), CR-COUNTY Line Rd (1) and CR-RED Arrow Hwy (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
38 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.8% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in July (21%).
They recorded 5.7 deaths per 100 crashes, against 1.8 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Watervliet fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Look at alternatives to I-94 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- Waste haulers: July is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Berrien County.
- With 38.2% 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 Berrien County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 4 |
| CR-687 64Th St | 1 |
| CR-COUNTY Line Rd | 1 |
| CR-RED Arrow Hwy | 1 |
| I-196 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Berrien County) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 631 |
| Pulaski | 56 |
| Napier | 49 |
| I-196 | 36 |
| N Us 31 | 33 |
| Red Arrow | 32 |
| US-31 | 28 |
| US-12 | 28 |
Watervliet at a glance
| Population | 1,707 |
| Land area | 1.2 sq mi |
| Density | 1,447 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49098) | $59,047 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49098) | $155,084 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Berrien 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 | 113 | — | 4.0 |
| 2000s | 119 | +5% | 3.9 |
| 2010s | 132 | +11% | 2.7 |
| 2020s | 172 | +30% | 2.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 113 a year in the 1990s and 172 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 2.5 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 2.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Watervliet
How common are truck crashes in Watervliet?
2,066 truck crashes have been reported in Berrien County since 2015, with 39 deaths and 460 injuries.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Watervliet?
Since 2015, I-94 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Watervliet: 4.
When do most truck crashes happen in Watervliet?
January has the most truck crashes in Berrien County, 19.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Watervliet?
38 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Berrien County since 2015, 1.8% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Watervliet compare with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Berrien County has 112.9 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Watervliet?
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.