Garfield Township, Kalkaska County, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County and Kalkaska County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kalkaska County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
4 of 121 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How Kalkaska County compares with Michigan
Kalkaska County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kalkaska County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kalkaska County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 53.2 | 52.4 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 6.4 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 3.0× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.37 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 1.2× the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.8% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 15% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 27.5% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 1.6× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 22.9% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 10% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 31.2% | 21.9% | 13.8% | 1.4× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.3% | 44.4% | 41.9% | 1.2× the state |
| After dark | 26.6% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 1.3× the state |
Kalkaska County has lower values than Michigan for garbage-truck share and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and on snow, slush or ice.
The headline for Kalkaska County: 6.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 2.1 in Michigan.
Overview
Kalkaska County has recorded 121 truck crashes since 2015, with 44 people injured and 7 killed.
That averages about one truck crash every 37 days in fully reported years.
Garfield Township, Kalkaska County had 4 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Kalkaska County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 13.2% of truck crashes; the quietest is October at 2.5%.
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 52.3% of truck crashes, vs 44.4% for Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 9–10 am than at any other hour (9.1%).
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 27.5% of truck crashes, compared with 17.7% in Michigan.
Where crashes happen
No fatal crash involving a large truck has a recorded location within 10 miles of Garfield since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 4 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
Route planning tips for Garfield Township, Kalkaska County fleets
- Review driver schedules for January, the month with the most truck crashes.
- 27.5% 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
Crash counts come from the FMCSA crash file (police-reported crashes involving trucks over 10,000 lb); fatal-crash locations come from NHTSA FARS. Text on this page states only what these numbers show.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Kalkaska County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kalkaska County) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 36 |
| Cedar | 9 |
| Boardman | 4 |
| Mile | 4 |
| County Road 571 | 3 |
| County Road 612 | 2 |
| Ingersoll | 2 |
| Rapid City | 2 |
Garfield Township, Kalkaska County at a glance
| Population | 1,028 |
| Land area | 106.1 sq mi |
| Density | 10 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49633) | $73,681 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49633) | $187,968 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kalkaska 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 | 8 | — | 0.4 |
| 2000s | 8 | +9% | 0.3 |
| 2010s | 7 | -19% | 0.5 |
| 2020s | 12 | +69% | 0.4 |
In the 1990s about 8 truck crashes a year were reported; in the 2020s, about 12. Reporting coverage also changed between these periods. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.0 a year in 2016–19, 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Garfield Township, Kalkaska County
How many truck crashes happen in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County?
Since 2015, 121 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Kalkaska County (44 injured, 7 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County?
The worst month is January: 13.2% of truck crashes in Kalkaska County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County?
Since 2015, Kalkaska County has reported 4 garbage-truck crashes, or 3.3% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County compared with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Kalkaska County has 53.2 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
How can I plan a safer truck route in Garfield Township, Kalkaska County?
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.