Palo, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Palo: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Palo 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.
Ionia County at a glance: 1 in 76 garbage-truck share of crashes is 1.3%, against 3.2% for Michigan.
Overview
Since 2015, 683 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Ionia County. They injured 174 people and killed 21.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 7 days.
With 0 truck crashes reported in Palo 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%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 48.1% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
By time of day, 10–11 am stands out with 8.3% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 28.1% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Palo since 2015 were spread across roads: CR-HOLLAND 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 Palo fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- Icy and snowy roads show up in 28.1% 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 Ionia County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| CR-HOLLAND Lake Rd | 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 |
Palo at a glance
| Land area | 0.7 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 48870) | $34,290 |
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 large-truck crashes: 0.8 a year in 2016–19, 1.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Palo
How many truck crashes happen in Palo?
Ionia County has had 683 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 174 people and killing 21.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Palo?
Truck crashes in Ionia County peak in January, with 13.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Palo?
Since 2015, Ionia County has reported 9 garbage-truck crashes, or 1.3% of its truck crashes.
How does Palo compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 84.1 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Ionia County, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Palo?
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.