Dafter, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Dafter: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Dafter and Chippewa County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Chippewa County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5 of 123 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Chippewa County compares with Michigan
Chippewa County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Chippewa County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Chippewa County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 28.3 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 46% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.5 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.7× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.36 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 4.4% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 1.4× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 53.1% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 3.0× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 17.7% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 31% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 29.2% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.3× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 66.4% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.5× the state |
| After dark | 25.7% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Michigan, Chippewa County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share.
Chippewa County at a glance: 53.1% of truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, vs 17.7% in Michigan.
Overview
Chippewa County has recorded 123 truck crashes since 2015, with 43 people injured and 4 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 36 days in fully reported years.
Dafter had 17 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Chippewa County numbers.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in January (15.4% of the year) and are lowest in May (2.4%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 66.4% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
By time of day, 12–1 pm stands out with 11.4% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 53.1% 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 Dafter since 2015: 3 Mile Rd (1), I-75 (1) and SR-129 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 5 of the truck crashes here, or 4.1%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Dafter fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- With 53.1% 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 Chippewa County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| 3 Mile Rd | 1 |
| I-75 | 1 |
| SR-129 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Chippewa County) |
|---|---|
| I-75 | 13 |
| Mackinac | 10 |
| Mile | 5 |
| Easterday | 4 |
| Ashmun | 3 |
| Lakeshore | 2 |
| Meridian | 2 |
| Ontario | 2 |
Dafter at a glance
| Population | 1,344 |
| Land area | 47.8 sq mi |
| Density | 28 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49724) | $82,321 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49724) | $168,837 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Chippewa 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 | 8 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 9 | +7% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 7 | -21% | 0.1 |
| 2020s | 11 | +62% | 1.0 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 11. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. NHTSA counts 0.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Dafter
How common are truck crashes in Dafter?
Since 2015, 123 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Chippewa County (43 injured, 4 killed).
Which month has the most truck crashes in Dafter?
January has the most truck crashes in Chippewa County, 15.4% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Dafter?
Since 2015, Chippewa County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.1% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Dafter compare with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 28.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Chippewa County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Dafter?
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.