Boston, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Boston: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Boston and Ionia County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Ionia County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
9 of 683 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Ionia County compares with Michigan
Ionia County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Ionia County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Ionia County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 84.1 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.6× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 3.3 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 1.6× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.24 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 20% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 1.3% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 59% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 28.1% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 24.0% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 25.4% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 48.1% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 25.8% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.2× the state |
Compared with Michigan, Ionia County is lower on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It runs above Michigan on crashes per 100k residents / yr, deaths per 100 crashes and on snow, slush or ice.
What stands out in Ionia County: 1 in 76 of truck crashes here involve garbage trucks: 1.3%, vs 3.2% in Michigan.
Overview
Since 2015, 683 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ionia County. They injured 174 people and killed 21.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 7 days.
With 133 truck crashes reported in Boston since 2015, this page uses Ionia County numbers for its patterns and comparisons.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 13.6% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (5.7%).
November through March accounts for 48.1% of truck crashes here, compared with 44.4% in Michigan.
The busiest hour is 10–11 am, with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 28.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-96 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (3). It is followed by CR-ALDEN Nash Ave (2), SR-21 (2) and CR-JORDAN Lake Rd (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 9 of the truck crashes here, or 1.3%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Boston fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Check whether your routes use I-96, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 28.1% of truck crashes here, more than Michigan; schedule winter checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Ionia County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-96 | 3 |
| CR-ALDEN Nash Ave | 2 |
| SR-21 | 2 |
| CR-JORDAN Lake Rd | 1 |
| Jackson Rd | 1 |
| SR-50 | 1 |
| SR-66 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Ionia County) |
|---|---|
| I-96 | 233 |
| State | 48 |
| Grand River | 18 |
| Bluewater | 14 |
| Dexter | 13 |
| Belding | 10 |
| David | 9 |
| Lincoln | 9 |
Boston at a glance
| Population | 6,084 |
| Land area | 35.1 sq mi |
| Density | 173 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48815) | $85,962 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48815) | $237,373 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Ionia 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 | 22 | — | 0.8 |
| 2000s | 31 | +39% | 1.1 |
| 2010s | 34 | +12% | 0.6 |
| 2020s | 64 | +84% | 1.4 |
In the 1990s about 22 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 64. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 0.8 a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Boston
How many truck crashes happen in Boston?
Ionia County has had 683 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 174 people and killing 21.
What is the most dangerous road for trucks in Boston?
I-96 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Boston since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Boston?
January has the most truck crashes in Ionia County, 13.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Boston?
Garbage trucks were involved in 9 reported crashes in Ionia County since 2015 (1.3% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Boston compare with Michigan?
Ionia County records 84.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Boston?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.