Ada, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Ada: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Ada and Kent County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Kent County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
1.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 1.5 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
How Kent County compares with Michigan
Kent County against Michigan and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Kent County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Kent County | Michigan | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 58.4 | 52.4 | 49.7 | 1.1× the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 1.5 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 29% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.22 | 0.30 | 0.49 | 27% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.3% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 28% below the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 15.9% | 17.7% | 6.2% | 10% below the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 28.1% | 25.5% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.8% | 21.9% | 13.8% | same |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 42.2% | 44.4% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 18.4% | 20.7% | 24.8% | 11% below the state |
Kent County 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 and morning rush (6–10 am).
What stands out in Kent County: January more garbage-truck crashes happen in January than in any other month (14%).
Overview
Police reported 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks in Kent County since 2015: 1,048 people were injured and 69 were killed.
In complete reporting years that works out to about 1 truck crash a day.
Only 56 truck crashes were reported in Ada since 2015; patterns below come from Kent County as a whole.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 12.6% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (6.3%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.2% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 8.5% of truck crashes.
Road surface: 15.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
Roads with fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Ada since 2015: I-96 (3), SR-44 (3), CR-ALDEN Nash Ave (2), Barden Dr Se (1) and CR-36TH St (1). No single road stands out.
Garbage & waste trucks
116 crashes involved a garbage or refuse truck, a 2.5% share (Michigan: 3.2%).
Their busiest month is January, with 14% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 1.0 deaths compared with 1.5 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Ada fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: January is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in Kent County.
- 28.1% of truck crashes happen between 6 and 10 am, above Michigan; consider earlier or later starts where possible.
- 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 Kent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-96 | 3 |
| SR-44 | 3 |
| CR-ALDEN Nash Ave | 2 |
| Barden Dr Se | 1 |
| CR-36TH St | 1 |
| CR-68TH St | 1 |
| CR-CASCADE Rd | 1 |
| CR-CIRCLE Dr | 1 |
| CR-WHITNEYVILLE Ave Se | 1 |
| Michigan St Ne | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Kent County) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 414 |
| I-96 | 221 |
| N Us 131 | 205 |
| 28Th | 201 |
| S Us 131 | 200 |
| Mile | 163 |
| 44Th | 113 |
| I-196 | 110 |
Ada at a glance
| Population | 14,745 |
| Land area | 36.1 sq mi |
| Density | 409 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49301) | $183,125 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49301) | $547,106 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Kent 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 | 230 | — | 6.9 |
| 2000s | 253 | +10% | 5.5 |
| 2010s | 259 | +2% | 4.9 |
| 2020s | 428 | +65% | 5.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 230 to 428. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. NHTSA counts 6.2 fatal large-truck crashes a year in 2016–19 and 5.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Ada
How many truck crashes happen in Ada?
4,686 truck crashes have been reported in Kent County since 2015, with 69 deaths and 1,048 injuries.
When do most truck crashes happen in Ada?
Truck crashes in Kent County peak in January, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
Are garbage truck crashes common in Ada?
116 crashes involving garbage or refuse trucks have been reported in Kent County since 2015, 2.5% of all truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Ada compared with Michigan?
Per 100,000 residents, Kent County has 58.4 truck crashes a year; Michigan has 52.4.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Ada?
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.