Little Traverse, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Little Traverse: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Little Traverse 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). It runs above Michigan on 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
Emmet County has recorded 143 truck crashes since 2015, with 42 people injured and 6 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 29 days in fully reported years.
With 11 truck crashes reported in Little Traverse since 2015, this page uses Emmet County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
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.
The busiest hour is 8–9 am, with 12.6% of truck crashes.
26.3% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, US-31 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (2). 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 Little Traverse fleets
- Review driver schedules for February, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Look at alternatives to US-31 at busy times: it leads this area in fatal truck crashes.
- The morning rush (6–10 am) holds 29.2% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; adjust start times where you can.
- With 26.3% 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
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 | 2 |
| 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 |
Little Traverse at a glance
| Population | 2,639 |
| Land area | 18.0 sq mi |
| Density | 147 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 Little Traverse
How many truck accidents are there in Little Traverse?
Emmet County has had 143 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 42 people and killing 6.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Little Traverse?
Since 2015, US-31 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Little Traverse: 2.
When do most truck crashes happen in Little Traverse?
The worst month is February: 12.6% of truck crashes in Emmet County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Little Traverse?
Garbage trucks were involved in 13 reported crashes in Emmet County since 2015 (9.1% of truck crashes).
How does Little Traverse 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 do I plan a garbage truck route in Little Traverse?
Paste your stops into the free CurbWaste Route Planner: it scores your route against fatal-crash locations, suggests safer alternatives and flags low bridges.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.