Penn, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Penn: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Penn and Cass County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Cass County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
19 of 289 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Cass County compares with Michigan
Cass County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Cass County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Cass County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 46.2 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 12% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.1 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.5× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.32 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 7.2% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 2.3× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 19.5% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.4% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.1% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 46.9% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 16.0% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 22% below the state |
Cass County has lower values than Michigan for crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It runs above Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Cass County: 1 in 14 crashes involve a garbage truck (19 since 2015), vs 3.2% across Michigan.
Overview
Police reported 289 crashes involving commercial trucks in Cass County since 2015: 91 people were injured and 9 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 15 days.
With 16 truck crashes reported in Penn since 2015, this page uses Cass County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.8% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.2%).
November through March accounts for 46.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 10.0% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 19.5% 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 Penn since 2015: CR-CASSOPOLIS Rd (1), CR-DECATUR Rd (1), CR-MARCELLUS Rd (1) and CR-ROBINSON Rd (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
19 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 6.6% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Penn fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 19.5% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; schedule winter checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Cass County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-CASSOPOLIS Rd | 1 |
| CR-DECATUR Rd | 1 |
| CR-MARCELLUS Rd | 1 |
| CR-ROBINSON Rd | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Cass County) |
|---|---|
| US-12 | 54 |
| Redfield | 11 |
| Decatur | 7 |
| Barron Lake | 6 |
| Marcellus | 6 |
| Main | 5 |
| Calvin Center | 4 |
| Front | 4 |
Penn at a glance
| Population | 1,751 |
| Land area | 33.6 sq mi |
| Density | 52 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49095) | $83,393 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49095) | $227,174 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Cass 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 | 18 | — | 2.0 |
| 2000s | 20 | +12% | 1.2 |
| 2010s | 20 | -0% | 0.9 |
| 2020s | 22 | +9% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 18 a year in the 1990s and 22 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Penn
How many truck accidents are there in Penn?
Since 2015, 289 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Cass County (91 injured, 9 killed).
When do most truck crashes happen in Penn?
The worst month is January: 11.8% of truck crashes in Cass County happen then.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Penn?
19 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Cass County since 2015, 6.6% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Penn compared with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 46.2 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Cass County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Penn?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.