Kalkaska, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Kalkaska: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Kalkaska 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
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 sits below Michigan on 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
Police reported 121 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kalkaska County since 2015: 44 people were injured and 7 were killed.
Across the years with complete reporting, that is roughly one truck crash every 37 days.
Kalkaska had 41 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
Truck crashes peak in January (13.2% of the year) and are lowest in October (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%).
Road surface: 27.5% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
US-131 leads within 10 miles of Kalkaska with 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. After it: CR-571 (1) and US-31 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 4 crashes, 3.3% of the total, against 3.2% across Michigan.
Route planning tips for Kalkaska fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kalkaska County.
- Where you can, review stops along US-131; it has the most fatal large-truck crashes nearby.
- With 27.5% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Michigan), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Use the free Route Planner to score your route and spot low bridges before drivers head out.
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 Kalkaska County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 3 |
| CR-571 | 1 |
| US-31 | 1 |
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 |
Kalkaska at a glance
| Population | 2,255 |
| Land area | 2.6 sq mi |
| Density | 855 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49646) | $64,863 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49646) | $181,523 |
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 |
Reported truck crashes averaged 8 a year in the 1990s and 12 a year in the 2020s. Reporting practices changed over time, so part of any change can come from reporting. NHTSA counts 1.0 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 0.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Kalkaska
How many truck accidents are there in Kalkaska?
Kalkaska County has had 121 reported truck crashes since 2015, injuring 44 people and killing 7.
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Kalkaska?
US-131 had 3 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Kalkaska since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Kalkaska?
The worst month is January: 13.2% of truck crashes in Kalkaska County happen then.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Kalkaska?
4 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Kalkaska County since 2015, 3.3% of all truck crashes.
How does Kalkaska compare with Michigan for truck crashes?
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 Kalkaska?
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.