Ionia, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ionia: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ionia 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 |
Ionia County sits below Michigan on injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher 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.
Ionia had 50 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Ionia County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 13.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is May at 5.7%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 48.1% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 10–11 am than at any other hour (8.3%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 28.1% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Ionia is SR-21, with 2 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. It is followed by CR-GRAND River Ave (1), CR-JORDAN Lake Rd (1) and I-96 (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 Ionia fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-21; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- 28.1% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice, above Michigan; plan winter equipment checks before the season.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
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 Ionia County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| SR-21 | 2 |
| CR-GRAND River Ave | 1 |
| CR-JORDAN Lake Rd | 1 |
| I-96 | 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 |
Ionia at a glance
| Population | 12,265 |
| Land area | 5.4 sq mi |
| Density | 2,267 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48846) | $66,742 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48846) | $172,700 |
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 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 22 to 64. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ionia
How common are truck crashes in Ionia?
Since 2015, 683 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Ionia County (174 injured, 21 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Ionia?
NHTSA data shows SR-21 with 2 fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Ionia since 2015, the highest of any road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ionia?
January has the most truck crashes in Ionia County, 13.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Ionia?
Since 2015, Ionia County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ionia compared with Michigan?
The yearly rate is 84.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Ionia County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ionia?
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.