Essex, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Essex: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Essex and Clinton County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Clinton County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
7 of 557 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Clinton County compares with Michigan
Clinton County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Clinton County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Clinton County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 57.6 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.4 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.34 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 1.1× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.4% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 57% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 17.2% | 17.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.0% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.9% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.4% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 9% below the state |
| After dark | 21.1% | 20.7% | 24.8% | same |
Clinton County has lower values than Michigan for garbage-truck share and winter months (nov–mar). It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and injuries per crash.
Clinton County at a glance: 1 in 72 crashes involve a garbage truck (7 since 2015), vs 3.2% across Michigan.
Overview
Since 2015, 557 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Clinton County. They injured 194 people and killed 12.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
With 6 truck crashes reported in Essex since 2015, this page uses Clinton County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (11.0% of the year) and are lowest in March (6.1%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 40.4% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (9.9%).
17.2% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Essex since 2015: US-127 (3) and SR-21 (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
7 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 1.3% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Essex fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Morning starts matter: 29.0% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Michigan.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Clinton County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-127 | 3 |
| SR-21 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Clinton County) |
|---|---|
| I-69 | 77 |
| I-96 | 73 |
| US-127 | 41 |
| Grand River | 40 |
| Wright | 14 |
| Old Us 27 | 12 |
| Francis | 11 |
| State | 10 |
Essex at a glance
| Population | 1,838 |
| Land area | 35.4 sq mi |
| Density | 52 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48853) | $51,607 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48853) | $117,271 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Clinton 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 | 24 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 34 | +39% | 1.3 |
| 2010s | 33 | -1% | 1.0 |
| 2020s | 46 | +39% | 1.0 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 24 a year in the 1990s and 46 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Essex
How many truck crashes happen in Essex?
557 truck crashes have been reported in Clinton County since 2015, with 12 deaths and 194 injuries.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Essex?
Truck crashes in Clinton County peak in February, with 11.0% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Essex?
7 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Clinton County since 2015, 1.3% of all truck crashes.
How does Essex compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
Clinton County records 57.6 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Essex?
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.