Harbor Springs, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Harbor Springs: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Harbor Springs and Emmet County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Emmet County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 143 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Emmet County compares with Michigan
Emmet County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Emmet County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Emmet County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 36.7 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 30% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 4.4 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 2.1× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.28 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 9.5% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 2.9× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 26.3% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.2% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 17.5% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 20% below the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 40.9% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 8% below the state |
| After dark | 8.8% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 58% below the state |
Emmet County has lower values than Michigan for crashes per 100k residents / yr, in rain, sleet or snow and winter months (nov–mar). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Emmet County: 1 in 11 crashes involve a garbage truck (13 since 2015), vs 3.2% across Michigan.
Overview
Police reported 143 crashes involving commercial trucks in Emmet County since 2015: 42 people were injured and 6 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 29 days.
Only 3 truck crashes were reported in Harbor Springs since 2015; patterns below come from Emmet County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in February (12.6% of the year) and are lowest in April (2.1%).
November through March accounts for 40.9% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 12.6% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 26.3% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
US-31 leads within 10 miles of Harbor Springs with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by CR-MITCHELL Rd (1), Intertown Rd (1) and US-131 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
13 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 9.1% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Route planning tips for Harbor Springs fleets
- Plan February schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Emmet County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-31; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- Morning starts matter: 29.2% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Michigan.
- With 26.3% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Michigan), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Emmet County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 3 |
| CR-MITCHELL Rd | 1 |
| Intertown Rd | 1 |
| US-131 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Emmet County) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 30 |
| US-131 | 13 |
| Charlevoix | 11 |
| Mitchell | 9 |
| Conway | 4 |
| Pickerel Lake | 4 |
| Pleasantview | 4 |
| Spring | 4 |
Harbor Springs at a glance
| Population | 1,262 |
| Land area | 1.3 sq mi |
| Density | 969 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49722) | $87,721 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Emmet 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 | 10 | — | 1.0 |
| 2000s | 11 | +14% | 0.8 |
| 2010s | 8 | -32% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 15 | +97% | 0.6 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 10 a year in the 1990s and 15 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.2 a year in 2016–19, 0.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Harbor Springs
How many truck crashes happen in Harbor Springs?
143 truck crashes have been reported in Emmet County since 2015, with 6 deaths and 42 injuries.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Harbor Springs?
NHTSA data shows US-31 with 3 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Harbor Springs since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Harbor Springs?
February has the most truck crashes in Emmet County, 12.6% of the yearly total.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Harbor Springs?
Since 2015, Emmet County has reported 13 garbage-truck crashes, or 9.1% of its truck crashes.
How does Harbor Springs compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 36.7 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Emmet County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Harbor Springs?
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.