Kalamazoo, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kalamazoo: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
13 of 495 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Kalamazoo compares with Michigan
Kalamazoo against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kalamazoo stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kalamazoo | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 57.8 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.1 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 48% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.27 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 10% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 13% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 16.7% | 17.7% | 6.2% | same |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 25.3% | 25.5% | 23.7% | same |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 20.6% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 44.2% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.5% | 20.7% | 24.8% | same |
Kalamazoo sits below Michigan on deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and garbage-truck share. It stands out for higher crashes per 100k residents / yr.
The headline for Kalamazoo: I-94 6 fatal truck crashes since 2015, more than any other road within 10 miles of Kalamazoo.
Overview
Police reported 495 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kalamazoo since 2015: 134 people were injured and 5 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 9 days.
When crashes happen
October has the most truck crashes, 10.9% of the yearly total, while August has the fewest (5.7%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 44.2% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 1–2 pm than at any other hour (9.1%).
16.7% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 17.7% across Michigan.
Where crashes happen
Within this area, I-94 had the most fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015 (6). It is followed by US-131 (2), CR-9TH St (1) and CR-G Ave (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 13 crashes, 2.6% of the total, against 3.2% across Michigan.
Route planning tips for Kalamazoo fleets
- Plan October schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kalamazoo.
- Check whether your routes use I-94, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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 Kalamazoo
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-94 | 6 |
| US-131 | 2 |
| CR-9TH St | 1 |
| CR-G Ave | 1 |
| CR-MN Ave | 1 |
| CR-PORTAGE Rd | 1 |
| E B Ave | 1 |
| Maple Hill Dr | 1 |
| N 35th St | 1 |
| Park St | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kalamazoo) |
|---|---|
| Sprinkle | 64 |
| I-94 | 45 |
| Stadium | 23 |
| Michigan | 22 |
| Park | 21 |
| Westnedge | 19 |
| Portage | 18 |
| Main | 17 |
Kalamazoo at a glance
| Population | 73,290 |
| Land area | 24.6 sq mi |
| Density | 2,975 per sq mi |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kalamazoo 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 | 26 | — | 3.3 |
| 2000s | 32 | +27% | 1.8 |
| 2010s | 28 | -13% | 2.4 |
| 2020s | 47 | +67% | 2.6 |
In the 1990s about 26 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 47. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 1.2 a year in 2016–19 and 2.6 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kalamazoo
How many truck crashes happen in Kalamazoo?
Kalamazoo has had 495 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 134 people and killing 5.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Kalamazoo?
I-94 had 6 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Kalamazoo since 2015, more than any other road.
Which month has the most truck crashes in Kalamazoo?
Truck crashes in Kalamazoo peak in October, with 10.9% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Kalamazoo?
13 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Kalamazoo since 2015, 2.6% of all truck crashes.
How does Kalamazoo compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
The yearly rate is 57.8 truck crashes per 100,000 residents in Kalamazoo, vs 52.4 for Michigan.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Kalamazoo?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.