Vandalia, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Vandalia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Vandalia 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 stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Cass County: 1 in 14 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 7.2%, vs 3.2% in 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.
Vandalia had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Cass County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 11.8% of the yearly total, while February has the fewest (5.2%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 46.9% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (10.0%).
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 Vandalia 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
Garbage trucks account for 19 of the truck crashes here, or 6.6%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Vandalia fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Cass County.
- With 19.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Michigan), plan winter equipment 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 |
Vandalia at a glance
| Population | 323 |
| Land area | 1.0 sq mi |
| Density | 327 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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 18 to 22. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. 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 Vandalia
How many truck accidents are there in Vandalia?
Cass County has had 289 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 91 people and killing 9.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Vandalia?
January has the most truck crashes in Cass County, 11.8% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Vandalia?
19 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Cass County since 2015, 6.6% of all truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Vandalia compare with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Cass County has 46.2 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Vandalia?
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.