Orleans, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Orleans: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Orleans 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.
Ionia County at a glance: 1 in 76 crashes involve a garbage truck (9 since 2015), vs 3.2% across 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.
Orleans had 7 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
January has the most truck crashes, 13.6% of the yearly total, while May has the fewest (5.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.1% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across 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
SR-57 leads within 10 miles of Orleans with 2 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: CR-COUNTY Farm Rd (1), CR-S Nevins Rd (1) and SR-91 (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 Orleans fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Where you can, review stops along SR-57; 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-57 | 2 |
| CR-COUNTY Farm Rd | 1 |
| CR-S Nevins Rd | 1 |
| SR-91 | 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 |
Orleans at a glance
| Population | 2,723 |
| Land area | 35.2 sq mi |
| Density | 77 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48865) | $70,039 |
| Median home value (ZIP 48865) | $151,480 |
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. NHTSA counts 0.8 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Orleans
How common are truck crashes in Orleans?
Ionia County has had 683 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 174 people and killing 21.
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Orleans?
Since 2015, SR-57 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Orleans: 2.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Orleans?
January has the most truck crashes in Ionia County, 13.6% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Orleans?
9 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Ionia County since 2015, 1.3% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Orleans 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 Orleans?
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.