Byron Center, MI truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Byron Center: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Byron Center 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. Where it is higher: crashes per 100k residents / yr and morning rush (6–10 am).
Byron Center at a glance: US-131 deadliest road: 5 fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Byron Center since 2015.
Overview
Kent County has recorded 4,686 truck crashes since 2015, with 1,048 people injured and 69 killed.
That averages about 1 truck crash a day in fully reported years.
Byron Center had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use Kent County numbers.
When crashes happen
The worst month is January with 12.6% of truck crashes; the quietest is April at 6.3%.
The five winter months (November to March) hold 42.2% of truck crashes, against 44.4% across Michigan.
More truck crashes happen at 8–9 am than at any other hour (8.5%).
Road surface: 15.9% of truck crashes were on snow, slush or ice (Michigan: 17.7%).
Where crashes happen
US-131 leads within 10 miles of Byron Center with 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck since 2015. It is followed by SR-6 (4), 44th Street (1) and Barden Dr Se (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 116 of the truck crashes here, or 2.5%, compared with 3.2% in Michigan.
The most garbage-truck crashes happen in January (14%).
Deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes: 1.0, vs 1.5 for all truck crashes.
Route planning tips for Byron Center fleets
- Plan January schedules with more margin; it is the worst month for truck crashes in Kent County.
- Check whether your routes use US-131, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- 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
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 Kent County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| US-131 | 5 |
| SR-6 | 4 |
| 44th Street | 1 |
| Barden Dr Se | 1 |
| CR-100TH St Sw | 1 |
| CR-142ND Ave | 1 |
| CR-22ND Ave | 1 |
| CR-30TH St | 1 |
| CR-44TH St | 1 |
| CR-48TH Ave | 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 |
Byron Center at a glance
| Land area | 5.1 sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 49315) | $113,346 |
| Median home value (ZIP 49315) | $384,994 |
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 Byron Center
How many truck accidents are there in Byron Center?
Since 2015, 4,686 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Kent County (1,048 injured, 69 killed).
Where do fatal truck crashes happen most in Byron Center?
US-131 had 5 fatal crashes involving a large truck within 10 miles of Byron Center since 2015, more than any other road.
When do most truck crashes happen in Byron Center?
Truck crashes in Kent County peak in January, with 12.6% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Byron Center?
Garbage trucks were involved in 116 reported crashes in Kent County since 2015 (2.5% of truck crashes).
How do truck crashes in Byron Center compare with Michigan?
Kent County records 58.4 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 52.4 across Michigan.
How do I plan a garbage truck route in Byron Center?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.