Whitefish, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Whitefish: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Whitefish 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
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
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 |
Chippewa County has lower values than Michigan for 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.
The headline for Chippewa County: 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.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 36 days.
Only 1 truck crash was reported in Whitefish since 2015; patterns below come from Chippewa County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 15.4% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (2.4%).
November through March accounts for 66.4% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
The busiest hour is 12–1 pm, with 11.4% of truck crashes.
53.1% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Whitefish since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 5 crashes, 4.1% of the total, against 3.2% across Michigan.
Route planning tips for Whitefish fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- 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
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
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 |
Whitefish at a glance
| Population | 485 |
| Land area | 241.5 sq mi |
| Density | 2 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49768) | $73,750 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49768) | $233,580 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 11 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.0 a year in 2016–19, 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Whitefish
How many truck crashes happen in Whitefish?
Chippewa County has had 123 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 43 people and killing 4.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Whitefish?
Truck crashes in Chippewa County peak in January, with 15.4% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Whitefish?
Since 2015, Chippewa County has reported 5 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.1% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Whitefish compared with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 28.3 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Chippewa County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Whitefish?
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.