Peninsula, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Peninsula: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Peninsula and Grand Traverse County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Grand Traverse County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
0.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 3.7 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Grand Traverse County compares with Michigan
Grand Traverse County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Grand Traverse County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Grand Traverse County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 45.7 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 13% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.7 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.29 | 0.30 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 5.1% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 1.6× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 25.9% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.5× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 23.9% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 23.9% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.1× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 14.2% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 31% below the state |
Grand Traverse County sits below Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It stands out for higher deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Grand Traverse County: 1 in 19 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 5.1%, vs 3.2% in Michigan.
Overview
Police reported 518 crashes involving commercial trucks in Grand Traverse County since 2015: 153 people were injured and 18 were killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 8 days in fully reported years.
Only 11 truck crashes were reported in Peninsula since 2015; patterns below come from Grand Traverse County as a whole.
When crashes happen
The worst month is February with 10.0% of truck crashes; the quietest is March at 5.8%.
November through March accounts for 44.2% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 9.7% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 25.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Since 2015, fatal crashes with a large truck within 10 miles of Peninsula happened on SR-22 (1), SR-72 (1) and US-31 (1); no road leads clearly.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 25 of the truck crashes here, or 4.8%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in August (20%).
They recorded 0.0 deaths per 100 crashes, against 3.7 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Peninsula fleets
- Build extra time into February routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Garbage-truck crashes here peak in August; review collection routes for that month.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 25.9% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; schedule winter 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 Grand Traverse County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-22 | 1 |
| SR-72 | 1 |
| US-31 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Grand Traverse County) |
|---|---|
| US-31 | 108 |
| Garfield | 45 |
| South Airport | 28 |
| Division | 14 |
| Mile | 14 |
| US-131 | 12 |
| Beitner | 12 |
| Grandview | 10 |
Peninsula at a glance
| Population | 6,127 |
| Land area | 27.9 sq mi |
| Density | 219 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49686) | $71,609 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49686) | $344,768 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Grand Traverse 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 | 25 | — | 1.3 |
| 2000s | 32 | +28% | 1.7 |
| 2010s | 30 | -6% | 1.3 |
| 2020s | 49 | +64% | 1.2 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 25 a year in the 1990s and 49 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.5 a year in 2016–19, 1.2 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Peninsula
How common are truck crashes in Peninsula?
Grand Traverse County has had 518 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 153 people and killing 18.
When do most truck crashes happen in Peninsula?
The worst month is February: 10.0% of truck crashes in Grand Traverse County happen then.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Peninsula?
Since 2015, Grand Traverse County has reported 25 garbage-truck crashes, or 4.8% of its truck crashes.
How do truck crashes in Peninsula compare with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Grand Traverse County has 45.7 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Peninsula?
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.